capital-intensive

American  

[kap-i-tl-in-ten-siv] / ˈkæp ɪ tl ɪnˈtɛn sɪv /

adjective

1. requiring or using a very large amount of capital relative to the need for or use of labor.

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capital-intensive Cultural  

1. A term describing industries that employ relatively few laborers but that use expensive equipment. (Compare labor-intensive.)

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Etymology

Origin of capital-intensive

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Oracle appoints Hilary Maxson, former chief financial officer at Schneider Electric, to lead its capital-intensive data-center buildout.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

"It's unprecedented to scale a capital-intensive business so quickly."

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Semiconductor manufacturing is a capital-intensive, long-cycle, cyclical business.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

“Financing risk to support the company’s transition to a capital-intensive business has pushed Oracle’s credit default swaps to the highest levels since the Great Recession,” he wrote.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 25, 2026

The development of an export market   for natural gas is a bright spot for future growth prospects, but   improvement in the capital-intensive hydrocarbons sector does little   to reduce Egypt's persistent unemployment.

From The 2004 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency