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

Example Sentences

Capitol, said Garcia’s push to seek records “outside of traditional channels,” including the Epstein estate, helped drive a “public narrative that broke through.”

From Los Angeles Times

Jeannette Rankin arrived on Capitol Hill as a Republican in 1917, at the age of 36, three years before women got the right to vote in federal elections.

From The Wall Street Journal

Driscoll has earned praise from both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill for his aggressive push to modernize the Army and overhaul the service’s unwieldy procurement program, lawmakers and Senate aides said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Despite the pause, Canadian representatives are still advocating on the country's behalf with US lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Richard Madan, the trade representative for the province of Manitoba, told the BBC.

From BBC

“U.S. Capitol Police will continue to investigate and hopefully hold accountable those responsible.”

From Salon