cape
KAYP/keɪp/
Pluralcapes
Pluralcapes
Less common meanings
- 4A superhero, a hero with special powers who often wears a cape.
In the comic, a new cape shows up to protect the city.
Two capes fought on the roof while people watched from the street.
Similarsuperhero
Note
- 5To defend or praise someone or something, especially when they do not deserve it.
Why do you always cape for your brother when he's clearly wrong?
She was caping for that band online all night.
UsageSay cape for someone.
Note
- 6To wave a cape at a bull to make it charge in the direction you want.
- 7Of a ship, to point a certain way and keep going in that direction.
- 8To take the skin off a dead animal's head, neck, and shoulders, especially a deer, to make a trophy.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
Can you tell the meanings of cape apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.
Origins
Meaning 2
It comes from Old French cap, meaning "headland", from the Latin word caput, meaning "head".
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact
- Cape comes from Old French cap meaning 'headland', ultimately from Latin caput meaning 'head'. en.wiktionary.org
Meanings 1, 3–5
It comes from French cape and the Late Latin word cappa, meaning "cape". The superhero meanings come from the capes many superheroes wear.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts
- Cape comes from French cape. en.wiktionary.org
- Its ultimate source is Late Latin cappa, meaning cape. en.wiktionary.org
- The superhero meanings refer to the capes associated with superheroes. en.wikipedia.org