cape

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈkāp

often attributive

Synonyms of cape next

: a point or extension of land jutting out into water as a peninsula or as a projecting point

often capitalized : cape cod cottage

cape

2 of 3

noun (2)

: a sleeveless outer garment or part of a garment that fits closely at the neck and hangs loosely over the shoulders

: the short feathers covering the shoulders of a fowl see duck illustration

cape

3 of 3

verb

caped; caping; capes

intransitive : to act as a defender or supporter

—usually used with for

[Billie] Eilish, for one, has been caping for the environment for years now, decreeing Gen-Z the saviors of the earth …—

Brenna Ehrlich

… the players are caping for [Mike] Pegues [basketball coach] and the rest of the staff, and admitting their role in Louisville's struggles to open the season.—

Matthew McGavic

transitive : to remove the head and the hide of an animal for preserving or mounting as a trophy

For a shoulder mount, most won't be comfortable with caping the deer without risking damage, so it's best to then take it to a professional taxidermist.—

kdvr.com

—often used with out

There are different methods for caping an animal out, but the general idea is to remove the skin from the upper half of the body in a single piece.—

Eric Barker

Examples of cape in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Along with navigating past Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America, Mr. Pinkney sailed around the other four significant southern capes: Cape Agulhas in South Africa, West Cape Howe and South East Cape in Australia, and South Cape/Whiore in New Zealand. —

Bryan Marquard, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2023 Instead of stealing Saban away from Alabama, Texas began making plans to rip the cape off of the Crimson Tide in a more meaningful way. —

Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, 5 Sep. 2023 But here's the twist: There's a Bears logo on his chest and cape. —

Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 2 Sep. 2023 Bill Pinkney, the first Black sailor to circumnavigate the globe alone by the arduous southern route — rounding the five great capes of the earth’s southernmost points of land, most notably the fearsome Cape Horn — died on Thursday in Atlanta. —

Penelope Green, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2023 And then there’s the ethereal white moment happening with the capes. —

Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 28 Aug. 2023 Page 85 Celine by Hedi Slimane cape dress, price upon request; celine.com. —

Alicia Banilivy, Harper's BAZAAR, 23 Aug. 2023 The result is a luxurious white velvet cape specially dyed and covered with as many star appliqués as Pérez could find, with a matching cap bearing the spellbook’s iconic eye symbol. —

Lindsay Kusiak, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Aug. 2023 The resulting theme, which lifts off with a series of rising phrases belted by French horns and accompanied by beats both electronic and Pakistani, fit the character like a cape and was consequently nominated for an Emmy. —

Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cape.' 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)

Middle English cap, from Anglo-French cape, from Old Occitan cap, from Latin caput head — more at head

Noun (2)

probably from Spanish capa cloak, from Late Latin cappa head covering, cloak

Verb

derivative of cape entry 2, in sense 1 alluding to the cape worn by superheros such as Superman who defend the innocent; in sense 2 alluding to the shape of the hide cut in this manner

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1758, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1957, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler

The first known use of cape was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century