# capitol

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkæp.ɪ.təl/ · frequency rank #7,103

## Definitions
1. Any building or complex of buildings in which a legislature meets.
2. Any citadel or complex of buildings similar to the Roman Capitol, particularly Italian and Roman citadels including temples to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva.
3. Alternative form of capitoul (“the former chief magistrates of Toulouse, France”).

## Etymology
From Middle English Capitolie, via Anglo-Norman capitolie, Old French capitoile, from Latin Capitōlium (“Capitoline Hill, its temples; any similar citadel”), from the oblique stem of caput (“head”) + -ō (noun-forming suffix) or -ōlus (“-ole”, diminutive suffix) + -ium (toponym-forming suffix). Compare Latin capitō and capitulum. As a French magistrate, via French capitoul, from Capitole, the town hall of Toulouse. Doublet of Capitolium and capitoul.

## Easily confused with
- **captor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/capitol-vs-captor)
- **capita** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/capita-vs-capitol)
- **capital** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/capital-vs-capitol)
- **capitan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/capitan-vs-capitol)

## Common misspellings (10)
`acpitol`, `caiptol`, `capiotl`, `capitlo`, `capitoll`, `capittol`, `cappitol`, `captiol`, `ccapitol`, `cpaitol`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/capitol