Capitol Hill

noun

: the legislative branch of the U.S. government

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Capital and Capitol: Which One to Use Where

What a pair these are: they sound identical and look nearly identical and both have meanings that relate to government. Mastering their use, however, is simple.

The key is this: capitol, the one with an "o," is very limited in use. It appears in the term Capitol Hill, and is used to refer to one very particular and famous building, to some other similar buildings, and, occasionally, to a group of buildings that includes those similar buildings. For all other meanings, the word you want is capital.

This means that in a state's capital city is a building or group of buildings properly referred to with the word capitol, with an "o." In this use capitol is synonymous with statehouse: both refer to the building or group of buildings where a state legislature meets. The phrase capital city utilizes capital because it refers to a city, not to a building or group of buildings.

Capitol with a capital "C" refers to the particular building in Washington, D.C. where the U.S. Congress meets. It often appears before other nouns in phrases like the Capitol building and Capitol police, and is very frequently used in the term Capitol Hill, which refers both to the legislative branch of the United States government as well as to the location of the Capitol building. The Capitol, like many state capitol buildings, has a rounded dome that is somewhat reminiscent of the top of an "o," which may help some remember the "o" spelling. Note that the word capital as used to describe an uppercase letter, like in the phrase capital "C", utilizes capital.

The word capital has three distinct homographs, two for noun uses and one for adjective uses. Readers should consult those entries for the various meanings of capital, but can be assured that they all end in al, rather than ol.

Examples of Capitol Hill in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But their approach has been too scattershot to catch on in an organized way on Capitol Hill and needs to be refined, the second Republican said. —Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 13 Jan. 2026

The clip intercuts Capitol Hill cityscapes with excerpts of his remarks—a glossy signal that prominent conservatives see the church as a stage worth claiming. —Tara Palmeri, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026

In testimony on Capitol Hill, Powell answered questions regarding the massive renovation project at the central bank's headquarters in the nation's capital. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 12 Jan. 2026

The killing of a Minnesota woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer is reverberating across Capitol Hill where Democrats, and certain Republicans, are vowing an assertive response. —Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 12 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Capitol Hill, Washington, site of the U.S. Capitol

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Capitol Hill

• verapamil
• anthill
• backfill
• bluegill
• crossbill
• distil
• distill
• downhill
• dunghill
• foothill
• fulfil
• fulfill