- Capitonym is a word that changes its meaning (and sometimes pronunciation) when capitalized.
- Word with capital-sensitive meaning
- Dual-meaning word. Example: Polish (from Poland) versus polish (to shine), or March (a month) versus march (to walk in a military manner)
What is capitonym and what does capitonym mean? Read about the definition and meaning of capitonym
capitonym
Add your own definition
Etymology & Origin of capitonym
Ccapitonym is a modern linguistic coinage, derived from the Latin root "capit-" (head, as in capital or uppercase letters) and the Greek suffix "-onym" (name). The term likely emerged in the mid-to-late 20th century as linguists and educators needed a way to describe this distinct category of words.