English → Latin
“capital” in Latin
sorsanything used to determine chances, lot; a casting or drawing of lots, a decision by lot, by fate, or by allotment or shcaputthe head (of humans and animals); head; top; summit; point; end; extremity (beginning or end); origin; source; spring; hvīvusalive, living; native, genuine, in the natural state; bright, lit, burning, kindledpecūniamoney; wealth; cash, ready money, liquid wealthnummusa coin, piece of moneyvacuusempty, vacant, unoccupied; devoid or free of; without; free; unoccupiedeximiusselect, choice; special, particular, exceptional, remarkable, extraordinary; exemptēgregiusdistinguished, excellent, eminent; illustrious, honorable
The English word capital itself goes back to Latin caput, through capitālis.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
capital s.
chief city, caput regni: urbs nobilissima. Principal laid out at interest, sors; caput; vivum (as opposed to “the interest”); pecuniae: nummi: res (money generally): that the woman’s principal or capital might be safer, ut mulieri esset res cautior, etc. (Cic.., Caecin., 4, 11): capital lying idle; dead capital, pecuniae otiosae or vacuae: pecuniae steriles: the capital lies dead, pecuniaeotiosae jacent: to live on the interest of capital, de fenore vivere: to deduct what is owed from capital, aes alienum de capite deducere: to deduct from capital, de vivo detrahere: the interest due is greater than the capital, mergunt sortem usurae: capital arises from interest, sors fit ex usura.
Capital of a pillar, capitulum.
capital adj.
eximius: egregius (excellent): a capital crime, crimen capitale: capital letters, litterae grandes (opposed to minutae).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for capital?
- The usual Latin words for “capital” are sors, caput, vīvus; also pecūnia, nummus, vacuus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.