noun
capital
KAP-uh-tl/ˈkæpɪtl/
A city where a government is based.
Washington, D.C., is the capital of the United States.
Etymology
Latin “of the head” also meant “chief” or “first.” A capital is thus the chief city in the governmental sense: the official seat of government.
In context
the home of the government isn't found in a state at all it's in a separate district called the District of Columbia which is the United States of America's capital or better known as Washington DC
More examples
- Sacramento is California's capital, but Los Angeles is its largest city.
- Protesters gather in the capital to demand new elections.
- The students locate all fifty state capitals on a map.
Forms
capital · capitals
capitol noun — A building where a legislature meets.
Similar words
- seat of government
- Emphasizes where governing authorities work, rather than the city itself.
- administrative center
- Can house regional or organizational offices without capital status.