El Capitan

American  

[el kap-i-tan] / ɛl ˌkæp ɪˈtæn /

noun

1. a mountain in E California, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains: precipice that rises over 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) above Yosemite Valley.

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El Capitan British  

/ ɛl ˌkapɪˈtæn /

noun

1. a mountain in E central California, in the Sierra Nevada: a monolith with a precipice rising over 1100 m (3600 ft) above the floor of the Yosemite Valley. Height: 2306 m (7564 ft)

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Example Sentences

The researchers even created a tiny version of Yosemite's El Capitan.

From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026

At Monday’s premiere event at L.A.’s El Capitan Theatre, Cyrus explained that the special was a chance for her to experience what fans love about Hannah.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

They found El Capitan a fitting place to make the point that “trans is natural.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

Honnold is renowned for being the first person to climb El Capitan, the vertical granite cliff in California's Yosemite national park - also without ropes or safety gear.

From BBC • Jan. 25, 2026

Nixon, finally, defended himself in a masterful speech delivered live on television from the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith