Etymology

capitalize

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Today it means: In writing or editing, to write (something: either an entire word or text, or just the initial letter(s) thereof) in capital letters, in upper case. Full definition →

Latin capitālis
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromcapitālis“of the head”
  2. English todaycapitalize

From capital + -ize, the first element ultimately from Latin capitālis (“of the head”).

Words from the same roots

Latincapitālis all →

capitalchattel

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.