cap

1 of 6

noun (1)

often attributive
1
a
: a head covering especially with a visor and no brim
b
: a distinctive head covering emblematic of a position or office: such as
(1)
: a cardinal's biretta
(2)
2
: a natural cover or top: such as
a
: an overlying rock layer that is usually hard to penetrate
b(1)
: pileus
(2)
c
: the top of a bird's head or a patch of distinctively colored feathers in this area
3
a
: something that serves as a cover or protection especially for a tip, knob, or end
a bottle cap
b
: a fitting for closing the end of a tube
c
British : cervical cap
d
: an artificial crown for a tooth
4
: an overlaying or covering structure
5
: a paper or metal container holding an explosive charge (as for a toy pistol)
6
: an upper limit (as on expenditures) : ceiling
a cap on military spending
7
: the symbol ∩ indicating the intersection of two sets compare cup sense 9
8
: a cluster of molecules or chemical groups bound to one end or a region of a cell, virus, or molecule

cap

2 of 6

verb

capped; capping

transitive verb

1
a
: to provide or protect with a cap
cap a bottle
b
: to give a cap to as a symbol of honor, rank, or achievement
2
: to form a cap over : crown
mountains capped with mist
3
a
: to follow with something more noticeable or more significant : outdo
b
: to bring to a climax or conclusion
cap off the show with a song
4
: to form a chemical cap on
5
: to prevent from growing or spreading : set an upper limit on
cap oil prices
6
: to supply (a tooth) with an artificial crown

intransitive verb

: to form or produce a chemical cap

cap

3 of 6

noun (2)

: a small amount of an illegal or legally regulated drug
especially : a small amount of a drug enclosed in a capsule
a cap of cocaine

cap

4 of 6

noun (3)

plural caps
1
2
: a capital letter
usually plural
a message written in caps
According to [linguist Deborah] Tannen, women's preference for expressive hashtags is "similar to their using exclamation points, caps, and repetition of letters to show emphasis, and to the fact that women's spoken intonation patterns tend to vary more than men's."Jessica Bennett
Good netiquette includes not using all caps [=exclusively capital letters] when typing, as it comes across as shouting.John DeGarmo

cap

5 of 6

abbreviation (1)

1
capacity
2
capital
3
capitalize; capitalized

CAP

6 of 6

abbreviation (2)

1
Civil Air Patrol
2
combat air patrol
Phrases
cap in hand
: in a respectful, humble, or sometimes fearful manner
went cap in hand to the governor to seek more funds for education

Examples of cap in a Sentence

Verb a pipe capped at one end Be sure to cap the pen when you are done using it. The report caps a ten-year study of lung cancer among nonsmokers. a concert capped by a fantastic fireworks display If the teams don't cap player salaries, the league won't survive. The law would cap legal immigration. The government wants to cap councils that spend too much.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The boonie-style cap is made from a super durable cotton and nylon blend that’s very comfortable and well-suited to outdoor activities (South2 West8 has roots in Japanese fishing culture). William Goodman, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2024 Try to avoid acronyms, and don’t write in all caps. Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2024 The findings are based on a survey of 266 audit committee members, most of whom are from U.S. public companies with more than $700 million in market cap. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2024 Bosa’s future was uncertain because the team began this week more than $25 million over the cap. Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 For the time being, a state court has blocked Wolf’s regulation that authorizes Pennsylvania to join the multistate Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which imposes a price and declining cap on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. Michael Rubinkam and Marc Levy, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 The way the caps focused attention on the wearer’s face was also an appeal to humanity. Laia Garcia-Furtado, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2024 Money can be moved and the cap is not really a huge impediment. Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 With limited cap flexibility and other needs to address, the draft could be a logical source for cheap but effective starters. Daniel Oyefusi, Miami Herald, 2 Mar. 2024
Verb
One man pledged $1,000, but Heffernan capped the total at $500 to prevent the thief from holding out for more money. Sydney Page, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 The Kermit appearance capped yet another noteworthy day in the life of Nelson, who in addition to hosting his annual Luck Reunion at his Texas ranch also announced the impending arrival of his latest album, The Border. Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2024 Part Two and capped by Oppenheimer‘s Oscars sweep on Sunday, including winning best picture. Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024 Last night, the 96th annual Academy Awards capped off awards season at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and the Oscars red carpet did not disappoint. Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024 Margot Robbie is capping off award season with a gorgeous look that's also quite possibly her least Barbie look of all. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 Payments on undergraduate loans will be capped at 5% of discretionary income, down from 10% now. Adriana Morga, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024 The ceremony will cap one of the buzziest years for mainstream movies in recent memory. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2024 Biden took credit for lowering prescription drugs, and capping the cost of insulin for seniors on Medicare to $35 a month. Deirdre Walsh, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Verb

Middle English cappe, from Old English cæppe, from Late Latin cappa head covering, cloak

Noun (2)

short for capsule

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

1942, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1906, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cap was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near cap

Cite this Entry

“Cap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cap. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cap

1 of 2 noun
1
: a head covering
especially : one that has a visor and no brim
2
: something that serves as a cover or protection for something
a bottle cap
3
: a natural cover or top: as
a
: the umbrella-shaped part that bears the spores of a mushroom
b
: the top of a bird's head
4
: a paper or metal container holding a small explosive charge (as for a toy pistol)

cap

2 of 2 verb
capped; capping
1
: to cover or provide with a cap
2
: to follow with something : outdo
3
: to bring to a conclusion
capped off the show with a song
4
: to prevent from growing or spreading : set a limit on
capped oil prices
Etymology

Noun

Middle English cappe "cap," from Old English cæppe "cap," from Latin cappa "head covering, cloak" — related to cape entry 2, chapel

Medical Definition

cap

1 of 3 noun
often attributive
1
: a natural cover or top: as
a
: pileus
2
: something that serves as a cover or protection especially for a tip, knob, or end (as of a tooth)
3
British : cervical cap
4
: a cluster of molecules or chemical groups bound to one end or a region of a cell, virus, or molecule
the cell surface receptors were redistributed into caps

cap

2 of 3 verb
capped; capping

transitive verb

1
: to invest (a student nurse) with a cap as an indication of completion of a probationary period of study
2
: to cover (a diseased or exposed part of a tooth) with a protective substance
3
: to form a chemical cap on
the capped end of a messenger RNA

intransitive verb

: to form or produce a chemical cap

cap

3 of 3 abbreviation
1
capacity
2
capsule

Legal Definition

cap

noun
: an upper limit
a jury found that KAL had committed “willful misconduct,” thus removing the Warsaw Convention's $75,000 cap on damagesDooley v. Korean Air Lines, 524 U.S. 116 (1998)
cap verb

More from Merriam-Webster on cap

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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