Word
capitol
Phoneticscapi·tol
US/ˈkæpɪtəɫ/
UK/kˈæpɪtəl/
Definitions
01legislative building
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun American English
n. the building where a government's legislature meets to discuss and pass laws.
n. a building in which a state or national legislature meets. In the United States, this refers to both the federal building in Washington D.C. and the various statehouses.
Español:capitolio
“The protesters gathered on the steps of the state capitol to demand new laws.”
“Security was tightened around the capitol as lawmakers prepared to vote on the controversial budget proposal.”
Usage
Usually capitalized when referring to a specific building, such as the U.S. Capitol.
Pitfall
The capital building has a white dome.
The capitol building has a white dome.
Use 'capital' for the city and 'capitol' for the specific building where the government meets.
Synonyms
02ancient Roman citadel
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic · Formal
n. a temple or fort in an ancient Roman city, especially the one on the Capitoline Hill in Rome.
n. the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on the Capitoline Hill in ancient Rome, or a similar citadel in other Roman cities.
“The ancient capitol was the most important religious site in the city.”
“Archaeologists discovered the foundations of a provincial capitol, suggesting the town held significant administrative status during the Roman occupation.”
Synonyms
Confusables
Capital is the city, the money, or the letter; capitol is the physical building where lawmakers meet.
RememberCapitol with an 'o' is the dOme of the building.
Real-World Examples
“It is thought the hijackers had meant to attack Washington's Capitol Building.” “The BBC's lawyers argue Trump's family members "have personal knowledge" of his intentions in the speech he gave outside the US Capitol on 6 January 2021.” Etymology
From Middle English Capitolie, in historical sense, from Latin Capitōlium. Other meanings from specific instances of capitol, q.v. As a French town hall, a calque of French Capitole.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/capitol
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0