capitalize

[ kap-i-tl-ahyz ]
See synonyms for: capitalizecapitalizing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),cap·i·tal·ized, cap·i·tal·iz·ing.
  1. to write or print in capital letters letters or with an initial capital letter.

  2. to authorize a certain amount of stocks and bonds in the corporate charter of: to capitalize a corporation.

  1. to issue stock as a dividend, thereby capitalizing retained earnings, or as settlement of an unpaid arrearage of preferred dividends.

  2. Accounting. to set up (expenditures) as business assets in the books of account instead of treating as expense.

  3. to supply with capital.

  4. to estimate the value of (a stock or an enterprise).

verb (used without object),cap·i·tal·ized, cap·i·tal·iz·ing.
  1. to take advantage of; turn something to one's advantage (often followed by on): to capitalize on one's opportunities.

Origin of capitalize

1
An Americanism dating back to 1755–65; capital1 + -ize
  • Also especially British, cap·i·tal·ise .

Other words for capitalize

Other words from capitalize

  • cap·i·tal·iz·a·ble, adjective
  • cap·i·tal·iz·er, noun
  • non·cap·i·tal·ized, adjective
  • un·cap·i·tal·ized, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use capitalize in a sentence

  • Dollar credit will be a world necessity if we capitalise the opportunity that peace may bring us.

    The War After the War | Isaac Frederick Marcosson
  • It is, therefore, up to the American exporter to capitalise the needs of the nation and the good will that it bears toward us.

    The War After the War | Isaac Frederick Marcosson
  • Capitalise it, friend typo—that last word—word of words in the epiphany of life and love.

    The Four Million | O. Henry
  • This implies the necessity to capitalise a corresponding further amount of the surplus value.

  • From the second year onwards, both departments capitalise half their surplus value and consume the other half.

British Dictionary definitions for capitalize

capitalize

capitalise

/ (ˈkæpɪtəˌlaɪz) /


verb(mainly tr)
  1. (intr foll by on) to take advantage (of); profit (by)

  2. to write or print (text) in capital letters or with the first letter of (a word or words) in capital letters

  1. to convert (debt or retained earnings) into capital stock

  2. to authorize (a business enterprise) to issue a specified amount of capital stock

  3. to provide with capital

  4. accounting to treat (expenditures) as assets

    • to estimate the present value of (a periodical income)

    • to compute the present value of (a business) from actual or potential earnings

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012