Forms: 4 capitole, (-hole, -olye), 4–5 capit-, capytoile, -olie, 7 capitoll, 7– capitol. [ME. capitolie, capitoile, a. ONF. capitolie, Parisian capitoile (= It. capitolio), ad. L. capitōlium, a derivative of caput head. The mod.F. capitole and Eng. capitol are new adaptations of the L.]
1. Literally, A citadel on the head or top of a hill. esp. The great national temple of Rome, dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus, on the Saturnian or Tarpeian (afterwards called Capitoline) Hill; sometimes applied to the whole hill including the arx or citadel.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 543. Syne in hys capitole wes he [Cæsar] Throw thaim of his consaill priue, Slayne.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Monkes T., 713. This Iulius to the capitolie [v.r. capitolye, capithole, capitoile] went.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 96. At Rome … Appere … In þe kydd capytoile before þe kyng selvyne.
1475. Bk. Noblesse, 10. Brenus … wanne and conquerid to Rome, except the capitoile of Rome.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., I. iii. 36. Comes Cæsar to the Capitoll to morrow?
1671. Milton, P. R., IV. 47. There the Capitol thou seest … On the Tarpeian rock.
1838. Arnold, Rome, I. 315. The commons in that revolution occupied the Capitol.
b. transf. and fig.
c. 1630. Drumm. of Hawth., Poems, Wks. (1711), 29/2. The spotless Sp’rits of Light … Greet their great Victor in his Capitol.
1682. Sir T. Browne, Chr. Mor. 26. Triumphs not leading up into capitols, but up into the highest heavens.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., Antiently the name capitol was … applied to all the principal temples, in most of the colonies.
2. U.S. ‘The edifice occupied by the congress of the United States in their deliberations. Also, in some states, the state-house, or house in which the legislature holds its sessions’ (Webster).
1843. Penny Cycl., XXVII. 98. The president’s house is situated at the opposite extremity of Pennsylvania avenue from the Capitol.
Hence Capitolian, Capitoline a., of or pertaining to the Capitol; Capitoline games: games in honor of Capitoline Jove.
1618. Holyday, Juvenal, 142/1. He could not add the Capitolian Oaken garland to the Alban Olive garland.
a. 1822. Shelley, Liberty, vii. Gold profaned thy capitolian throne.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 508. Ammonian Jove, or Capitoline, was seen.
a. 1789. Burney, Hist. Mus. (ed. 2), II. i. 6. In the time of this Emperor [Constantine] … the Capitoline games were abolished.
