NYT Dictionary

CAPITATE

/ˈkæpɪtət/
AdjectiveNounVerbCAP-i-tatecap-i-tate · 3 syllablesAdvanced/Professional

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

Meaning

Having a distinct globular tip.

Etymology

Origin: Latin

From Latin capitātus (“having a head”), from caput (“head”) + -ātus, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (noun-forming suffix). The noun comes from the clipping of capitate bone.

NYT Puzzle Appearances

No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.

Join the Spelling Bee Community

Get solving strategies, rare word lists, and puzzle tips in your inbox every week.