capitulary: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Rare / HistoricalHistorical, Legal, Ecclesiastical
Quick answer
What does “capitulary” mean?
Relating to or consisting of a collection of ordinances or laws, especially those of a Frankish king or church council.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Relating to or consisting of a collection of ordinances or laws, especially those of a Frankish king or church council.
Pertaining to a chapter (capitulum) of a religious order, or more generally, any systematic collection of decisions or regulations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in modern usage. Both British and American academic/historical texts use the term with the same meaning.
Connotations
Strongly academic and archaic.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both dialects, found almost exclusively in scholarly historical works.
Grammar
How to Use “capitulary” in a Sentence
The (ADJ) capitulary (VERBed) (NOUN)A capitulary (concerning/on) (TOPIC)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “capitulary” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The king sought to capitularise the legal traditions of the region.
American English
- The council attempted to capitularize the various monastic practices.
adverb
British English
- The laws were organised capitularily, by thematic chapters.
American English
- The decrees were issued capitularily, not as a single proclamation.
adjective
British English
- The capitulary texts provide a unique window into early medieval governance.
American English
- His research focuses on capitulary documents from the 9th century.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical, legal, and religious studies to refer to specific medieval documents.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Specific term in medieval history and canon law.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “capitulary”
- Using it as a synonym for 'capital' or 'capitol'.
- Using it in a modern legal context.
- Confusing it with 'capitulation'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very rare and highly specialised historical term.
No, it is specific to historical contexts, particularly early medieval European law.
A capitulary is a collection of specific decrees or ordinances issued by a ruler (like Charlemagne). A constitution is a fundamental system of principles for governing a state, often seen as a single, supreme document.
Yes, 'chapter' (from Latin 'capitulum'). A capitulary is essentially a collection of chapters of law.
Relating to or consisting of a collection of ordinances or laws, especially those of a Frankish king or church council.
Capitulary is usually historical, legal, ecclesiastical in register.
Capitulary: in British English it is pronounced /kəˈpɪtjʊləri/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəˈpɪtʃəˌleri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. The word does not feature in idioms.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'CAPITULARY' as 'CAPITAl rules' - a collection of capital (important) rules set by a ruler.
Conceptual Metaphor
A RULEBOOK IS A BODY: The capitulary is the skeleton or framework of the legal/administrative system.
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'capitulary'?