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Capitalize: meaning, definitions and examples

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capitalize

 

[ˈkapɪtəˌlaɪz ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Verb

writing

To capitalize a word means to write it in uppercase, or to invest money in a business in order to increase its value.

Synonyms

invest, uppercase.

Examples of usage

  • He forgot to capitalize the first letter of the sentence.
  • She decided to capitalize on the new trend by investing in stocks.
Context #2 | Noun

finance

Capitalization refers to the total value of a company's outstanding shares of stock, calculated by multiplying the current share price by the total number of outstanding shares.

Synonyms

market value, valuation.

Examples of usage

  • The market capitalization of the company exceeded $1 billion.
  • The capitalization rate is an important factor in real estate investments.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

  • The word comes from the Latin 'capitalis', meaning 'of the head', referring to the head or top letters.
  • Since the 14th century, the term has been used in English to describe the practice of using uppercase letters.

Grammar

  • In English, the first letter of a sentence and proper nouns (like names) must be capitalized to clarify meaning.
  • Different languages have various rules for capitalization; for example, German capitalizes all nouns.

Technology

  • Many programming languages require specific rules for capitalization, helping distinguish between functions and variables.
  • In social media and texting, changing capitalization can alter the tone; 'CAPITALIZE' sounds loud or excited!

Psychology

  • Research shows that using uppercase letters in writing can evoke stronger emotional responses from readers.
  • Overuse of capitalization might lead to misinterpretation in digital communication, being perceived as shouting.

Literature

  • In poetry and creative writing, authors often play with capitalization to create emphasis or signify important themes.
  • Capitalization has historical significance in manuscripts where illuminated initials were ornate and held artistic value.

Translations

Translations of the word "capitalize" in other languages:

🇵🇹 capitalizar

🇮🇳 बड़ा बनाना

🇩🇪 großschreiben

🇮🇩 mengkapitalisasi

🇺🇦 капіталізувати

🇵🇱 kapitalizować

🇯🇵 大文字にする

🇫🇷 capitaliser

🇪🇸 capitalizar

🇹🇷 büyük harfle yazmak

🇰🇷 대문자로 쓰다

🇸🇦 تحويل الحروف إلى أحرف كبيرة

🇨🇿 kapitalizovat

🇸🇰 kapitalizovať

🇨🇳 大写

🇸🇮 kapitalizirati

🇮🇸 stórstafa

🇰🇿 үлкен әріппен жазу

🇬🇪 დიდი ასოებით წერას

🇦🇿 böyük hərflərlə yazmaq

🇲🇽 capitalizar

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #16,267, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.