Capitol

American  

[kap-i-tl] / ˈkæp ɪ tl /

noun

1. the building in Washington, D.C., used by the Congress of the U.S. for its sessions.

2. (often lowercase) a building occupied by a state legislature.

3. the ancient temple of Jupiter at Rome, on the Capitoline.

4. the Capitoline.

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Capitol British  

/ ˈkæpɪtəl /

noun

1. 1. another name for the Capitoline

   2. the temple on the Capitoline

2. the main building of the US Congress

3. Also called: statehouse. (sometimes not capital) (in the US) the building housing any state legislature

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Commonly Confused

See capital ¹.

Etymology

Origin of Capitol

An Americanism first recorded in 1690–1700; from Latin capitōlium, the name of the temple of Jupiter on Capitoline hill, Rome, taken to be a derivative of caput “head”; replacing Middle English capitolie, from Old North French

Explanation

When you march on the state capitol to protest a bill before the legislature, you are assembling outside a building that houses the state government. Use the noun capitol when you're talking about the building where a legislature assembles to govern a state or region. In the United States, each state has an individual capitol building, and the federal government has one too — although when you mention "the Capitol" in Washington, D.C., it is capitalized. Speaking of which, be careful not to confuse capitol with its homophone, capital. Capitol comes from the Latin Capitolium, a famous ancient Roman temple.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Capitol

Below are some key types of companies that could end up facing high-profile hearings on Capitol Hill, congressional investigations or other types of inquiries.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 3, 2026

The lawsuit names Dean's record label Capitol Records, parent company Universal Music Group and her publishing companies as the defendants.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

California’s state Capitol was evacuated Friday morning after construction crews in the west wing of the building reported a threat to authorities, according to the California Highway Patrol.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

“The practice of filming staff on Capitol Hill did not originate with me,” Ms. Townsend said in a written statement, defending the practice as “legitimate” reporting.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

On the drizzly afternoon of May 3, about five hundred protesters gathered outside the Capitol.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin