Capitol or Capital: What’s the Difference?

Capitol or capital? These two words sound the same, but they are spelled differently, and they mean different things. One word is narrow, used for one kind of building. The other word is broad, used for cities, money, letters, and serious matters. Mixing them up is one of the most common spelling errors in English, and it is easy to fix, once you know the rule. This guide explains both words, with the two extra sections the usual guides miss: the Capitol as a proper noun, and Capitol Hill.

Quick Answer

Quick Answer: Capitol, with an o, means a building where a legislature meets, such as the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., or a state capitol. Capital, with an a, means everything else: a capital city, money used for investment, an uppercase letter, and a serious matter, as in a capital crime. The memory aid is: capitOl has an O, like dOme, and capitol buildings often have a dome. Capital, with an a, covers all the other meanings.

Meaning and Definition

Capital: city, money, uppercase letter, serious or punishable

Capital has four main meanings. First, a capital city, the city where a government is based, as in London is the capital of the United Kingdom. Second, capital as money, wealth or assets used for investment or business, as in she raised capital for her shop. Third, a capital letter, an uppercase letter, as in start the sentence with a capital letter. Fourth, capital as serious or punishable by death, as in capital punishment, meaning the death penalty, and capital crime, meaning a crime punishable by death. All four uses take capital, with an a, never capitol.

Capitol: building where a legislature meets

Capitol, with an o, means only one thing: a building where a legislature meets. A legislature is the body that makes laws, such as a parliament or a congress. For example: The legislature met in the capitol. The word capitol, in lower case, is a common noun, for any such building. The word Capitol, with a capital C, is a proper noun, for a specific building, as explained in the next section.

The U.S. Capitol and State Capitols

The U.S. Capitol, with a capital C, is the specific building in Washington, D.C., where the United States Congress meets. It is a proper noun, so it is always written with a capital C, and with an o: Capitol, not Capital. Each U.S. state also has its own capitol building, where its state legislature meets, for example the Texas State Capitol in Austin. When you name a specific capitol building, write Capitol with a capital C. When you talk about such buildings in general, write capitol in lower case, still with an o. Never write the U.S. Capital, with an a, for the building. That is the most common capitol error of all.

Capitol Hill

Capitol Hill is the name of the hill and the neighbourhood in Washington, D.C., where the U.S. Capitol stands, and it is also used as a short way to refer to the U.S. Congress itself. For example: The bill passed on Capitol Hill. Capitol Hill, with an o, is a proper noun, so both words take a capital letter. It does not mean a capital city, and it does not mean money. It means the place, and by extension the people, of the U.S. legislature. The same o rule applies: Capitol Hill, never Capital Hill.

Comparison Table

Word	Meaning	Example
Capitol	Building where a legislature meets	The legislature met in the capitol.
Capitol, proper noun	Specific building, U.S. Capitol	The U.S. Capitol is in Washington, D.C.
Capital	Capital city	London is the capital of the United Kingdom.
Capital	Money for investment	She raised capital for her shop.
Capital	Uppercase letter	Start with a capital letter.
Capital	Serious, punishable by death	Capital punishment is the death penalty.

Capital Phrases

• Capital city: the city where a government is based, as in Paris is the capital city of France.
• Capital letter: an uppercase letter, as in names start with a capital letter.
• Capital gains: profit from selling an asset for more than it cost, as in capital gains tax.
• Capital punishment: the death penalty, as in capital punishment is debated in many countries.

All four phrases use capital, with an a. None of them use capitol, with an o.

Examples in Sentences

• The legislature met in the capitol.
• The U.S. Capitol is in Washington, D.C.
• London is the capital of the United Kingdom.
• She raised capital for her new shop.
• Start the sentence with a capital letter.
• Capital punishment is the death penalty.
• The bill passed on Capitol Hill.

Common Mistakes

• Wrong: The U.S. Capital is in Washington, D.C. Correct: The U.S. Capitol is in Washington, D.C., because the building takes capitol, with an o.
• Wrong: The legislature met in the capital building. Correct: The legislature met in the capitol building, because a legislature building takes capitol, with an o.
• Wrong: Paris is the capitol of France. Correct: Paris is the capital of France, because a capital city takes capital, with an a.
• Wrong: Start with a capitol letter. Correct: Start with a capital letter, because an uppercase letter takes capital, with an a.

The most common error is using capital, with an a, for the building. Remember capitOl, with an O, like dOme, and the building error disappears.

Tips to Remember

Remember capitOl, with an O, like dOme. Capitol buildings often have a dome, so the O in capitOl matches the dome shape. For everything else, use capital, with an a: city, money, letter, serious matter. If the sentence is about a building where lawmakers meet, write capitol. If it is about anything else, write capital. Other tricky spellings also become easier when you link the spelling to a picture, like a dome, instead of guessing letter by letter.

Frequently Asked Questions About Capitol or Capital

Conclusion

Capitol, with an o, means a building where a legislature meets, and Capitol, with a capital C, is the proper noun for a specific building, such as the U.S. Capitol, and for Capitol Hill. Capital, with an a, means everything else: a capital city, money, an uppercase letter, and a serious or punishable matter. Remember capitOl, with an O, like dOme, and the choice will be right every time.