capitalize

/ˈkæpətəˌlaɪz/

//ˈkæpətəˌlaɪz// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"capitalize" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“capitalize” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #18,513. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#18,513
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In writing or editing, to write (something: either an entire word or text, or just the initial letter(s) thereof) in capital letters, in upper case.

Corpus desk

Index EN-capitalize · capitalize · English

capitalize · rank #18,513 · 14 variants · 3 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #18,513
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 3 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH charisma

Nearest frequency peer: charisma (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “capitalize”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “capitalize” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

capitalize vs capitalism
80% similar
capitalize vs capitalist
80% similar
capitalize vs capitalise
90% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for capitalize
PropertyValue
Headwordcapitalize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈkæpətəˌlaɪz/
Letters10
Frequency rank#18,513
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “capitalize”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).capitalizelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “charisma” (#18,514), “calibration” (#18,511), “Cheltenham” (#18,515). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “capitalize” is #18,513. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around capitalize (IPA /ˈkæpətəˌlaɪz/), averb. Corpus frequency is #18,513 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for capitalize, with forms such as "acpitalize", "caiptalize", and "capiatlize". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "capitalism", "capitalist", "capitalise", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From capital + -ize, the first element ultimately from Latin capitālis (“of the head”). The correct English form is capitalize, spelled C-A-P-I-T-A-L-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    In writing or editing, to write (something: either an entire word or text, or just the initial letter(s) thereof) in capital letters, in upper case.
  2. 2
    To contribute or acquire capital (money or other resources) for.
  3. 3
    To convert into capital, i.e., to get cash or similar immediately fungible resources for some less fungible property or source of future income.
  4. 4
    To treat as capital, not as an expense.
  5. 5
    To profit or to obtain an advantage.
  6. 6
    To seize, as an opportunity; to obtain a benefit from; to invest on something profitable.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how capitalize appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. In German, all nouns are capitalized.
  2. Some states require proof that a new venture is properly capitalized before the state will issue a certificate of incorporation.

Etymology

From capital + -ize, the first element ultimately from Latin capitālis (“of the head”).

This word in other languages

capitaliser(Français)großschreiben(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • acpitalize
  • caiptalize
  • capiatlize
  • capitailze
  • capitaliez
  • capitalizze
  • capitallize
  • capitalzie
  • capitlaize
  • capittalize
  • cappitalize
  • captialize
  • ccapitalize
  • cpaitalize

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of capitalize - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

acpitalize2caiptalize2capiatlize2capitailze2capitaliez2capitalizze1capitallize1capitalzie2
Edit distance from "capitalize"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "capitalize"?
"capitalize" is spelled C-A-P-I-T-A-L-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkæpətəˌlaɪz/.
What does "capitalize" mean?
As a verb, "capitalize" means: In writing or editing, to write (something: either an entire word or text, or just the initial letter(s) thereof) in capital letters, in upper case.
What words are commonly confused with "capitalize"?
"capitalize" is commonly confused with "capitalism", "capitalist", "capitalise". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "capitalize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "capitalize" is /ˈkæpətəˌlaɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "capitalize"?
From capital + -ize, the first element ultimately from Latin capitālis (“of the head”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "capitalize", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Cheltenham#18,515Chesapeake#18,516borderline#18,506craigslist#18,526

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

cognition14 variantsbestseller14 variantsascension14 variantsadherence14 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list