capitol

noun

cap·​i·​tol ˈka-pə-tᵊl 

ˈkap-tᵊl

1

a

: a building in which a state legislative body meets

the dome of the state capitol

b

: a group of buildings in which the functions of state government are carried out

2

capitalized : the building in which the U.S. Congress meets at Washington

Did you know?

Capital and Capitol: Which One to Use Where

What a pair these are: they sound identical and look nearly identical and both have meanings that relate to government. Mastering their use, however, is simple.

The key is this: capitol, the one with an "o," is very limited in use. It appears in the term Capitol Hill, and is used to refer to one very particular and famous building, to some other similar buildings, and, occasionally, to a group of buildings that includes those similar buildings. For all other meanings, the word you want is capital.

This means that in a state's capital city is a building or group of buildings properly referred to with the word capitol, with an "o." In this use capitol is synonymous with statehouse: both refer to the building or group of buildings where a state legislature meets. The phrase capital city utilizes capital because it refers to a city, not to a building or group of buildings.

Capitol with a capital "C" refers to the particular building in Washington, D.C. where the U.S. Congress meets. It often appears before other nouns in phrases like the Capitol building and Capitol police, and is very frequently used in the term Capitol Hill, which refers both to the legislative branch of the United States government as well as to the location of the Capitol building. The Capitol, like many state capitol buildings, has a rounded dome that is somewhat reminiscent of the top of an "o," which may help some remember the "o" spelling. Note that the word capital as used to describe an uppercase letter, like in the phrase capital "C", utilizes capital.

The word capital has three distinct homographs, two for noun uses and one for adjective uses. Readers should consult those entries for the various meanings of capital, but can be assured that they all end in al, rather than ol.

Synonyms

• statehouse

Examples of capitol in a Sentence

the dome of the state capitol

the legislators were called to the capitol for an emergency session

Recent Examples on the Web

That parking lot enjoys the best view in downtown with sunsets over the state capitol building all winter long. —John Q. Gale, Hartford Courant, 17 Feb. 2025

The decision by the eight-woman, four man jury is sure to reverberate in the halls of power, from Chicago to the state capitol where Madigan, one of the last vestiges of the old Democratic machine built by Mayor Richard J. Daley, held sway for five decades, including nearly 40 years as speaker. —Ray Long, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025

The Trump administration’s order to freeze trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans prompted confusion across state capitols and local government offices on Tuesday, leaving them at a loss on how to even calculate its impact. —J. David Goodman, New York Times, 29 Jan. 2025

One thing visitors to the capitol in Springfield will notice is enhanced security. —Greg Bishop | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 16 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin Capitolium, temple of Jupiter at Rome on the Capitoline hill

First Known Use

1679, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

capitol

noun

cap·​i·​tol ˈkap-ət-ᵊl 

ˈkap-tᵊl

1

: the building in which a state legislature meets

2

capitalized : the building in which the U.S. Congress meets in Washington, D.C.