cape

¹ American  

[keyp] / keɪp /

noun

1. 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.

2. the capa of a bullfighter.

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verb (used with object)

caped, caping

1. (of a matador or capeador during a bullfight) to induce and guide the charge of (a bull) by flourishing a capa.

cape ² American  

[keyp] / keɪp /

noun

1. a piece of land jutting into the sea or some other large body of water.

   Synonyms:

   spit, headland, promontory, point

2. the Cape.

   1. Northeastern U.S. Cape Cod.

   2. Cape of Good Hope.

3. capeskin.

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verb (used without object)

caped, caping

1. Nautical. (of a ship) to have good steering qualities.

adjective

1. Cape, pertaining to the Cape of Good Hope or to South Africa.

   a Cape diamond.

cape ¹ British  

/ keɪp /

noun

1. a sleeveless garment like a cloak but usually shorter

2. a strip of material attached to a coat or other garment so as to fall freely, usually from the shoulders

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Cape ² British  

/ keɪp /

noun

1. the SW region of South Africa, in Western Cape province

2. See Cape of Good Hope

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cape ³ British  

/ keɪp /

noun

1. a headland or promontory

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cape Scientific  

/ kāp /

1. A point or head of land projecting into a body of water.

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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 cape¹

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

Inside the cavernous church, priests celebrated Mass hourly, and an electronic walkway kept visitors from lingering in front of Juan Diego’s famous cape.

From Los Angeles Times

He just puts on his cape and make things happen.

From BBC

When I think of a vampire, I think of a long cape and a gigantic bat hanging from the branches … but this is somehow even scarier.

From Literature

Fur cuffs edged each long emerald sleeve, and the cape of thick red velvet fell from her shoulders like, well, a curtain.

From Literature

There they crashed headlong into the source of the bellowing: a tall woman in a fur cape, who now lay sprawled on the floor with three orange-splattered ghosts hovering above her.

From Literature