cape
1 Americannoun
-
a sleeveless garment of various lengths, fastened around the neck and falling loosely from the shoulders, worn separately or attached to a coat or other outer garment.
-
the capa of a bullfighter.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
a piece of land jutting into the sea or some other large body of water.
- Synonyms:
- spit, headland, promontory, point
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the Cape.
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Northeastern U.S. Cape Cod.
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verb (used without object)
adjective
noun
noun
-
the SW region of South Africa, in Western Cape province
noun
-
a sleeveless garment like a cloak but usually shorter
-
a strip of material attached to a coat or other garment so as to fall freely, usually from the shoulders
Other Word Forms
- caped adjective
Etymology
Origin of cape1
First recorded in 1610–20; from French cap(p)e, from Spanish capa or Italian cappa, from Late Latin cappa “hooded cloak”; cope 2
Origin of cape2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English cap, from Middle French, from Old Provençal cap or Italian capo, from Vulgar Latin capum (unrecorded) for Latin caput “head”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Like at the brand's men's show in January, a short yellow waterproof cape decorated a coat, while a beige jacket revealed bronze sequins beneath a turned up collar.
From Barron's
The incomparable star is a vision in studded white or powder-blue jumpsuits—cavorting, emoting, karate-chopping and spreading the bat wings of his sewn-on cape in a move that never fails to thrill the audience.
And like I said, I know it’s probably tough to take in, but that’s what we got to see because everybody is not wearing capes.
From Los Angeles Times
“I am Llewelyn the Fifteenth, Prince of the Red Woods,” he said while wringing the water from his long scarlet cape.
From Literature
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Lopez also donned a cape that featured both the US and Puerto Rico flags.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.