capitol

• (Washington D.C. building for U.S. Congress): Capitol (usually capitalized)

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman capitolie or capitoile, Middle French capitole, and Latin Capitōlium (“the Temple of Jupiter in Rome, the Capitoline Hill”), probably from caput (“head”).[1] As a French magistrate, via French capitoul.

The Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, USA

• IPA^(key): /ˈkæp.ɪ.təl/
• Hyphenation: cap‧i‧tol
• Homophone: capital

capitol (plural capitols)

1. (historical) Alternative form of Capitol, the temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill in Ancient Rome.
2. Any building or complex of buildings in which a legislature meets.

   The capitol building is located smack-dab in the middle of the state capital.

   • 1901 January 1, "Twentieth Century's Triumphant Entry", The New York Times, page 1:

     The centre of attraction was the City Hall. Two thousand flags and more ...; 2,000 electric lights... combined to make the civic capitol gorgeous... .

3. (historical) Alternative form of capitoul, the former chief magistrates of Toulouse, France.

The homophone capital refers only to the city designated as a base for government; this government may meet at a capitol building.

• capital (the city in which the government center is located)
• Capitoline

• coalpit, lipcoat, optical, topical

capitol n (plural capitole)

1. chapter (section of a book)