capo

1 of 2

noun (1)

ca·​po ˈkā-(ˌ)pō How to pronounce capo (audio)
plural capos
: a movable bar attached to the fingerboard of a fretted instrument to uniformly raise the pitch of all the strings

capo

2 of 2

noun (2)

ca·​po ˈkä-(ˌ)pō How to pronounce capo (audio) ˈka- How to pronounce capo (audio)
plural capos
: the head of a branch of a crime syndicate

Examples of capo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The governor was embroiled in a scandal in 2023 involving the Sinaloa cartel, in which his name was published in a letter written by a then-Sinaloa cartel capo whom leaders of a rival faction of the cartel had kidnapped. — CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026 Audio from a conversation between Davis and investigators — which prosecutors say amounts to a full confession from the former Compton Crips capo — was played for the jury on Thursday. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026 Along with City, Liverpool and Chelsea are among the top clubs with a new manager at the helm; all told, nine of the league’s 20 teams will enter the season with a new capo prowling the sidelines. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 21 Aug. 2026 The routine is led by another Oljeberget capo, who stands in front of the supporters. — Elias Burke, New York Times, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for capo

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

short for capotasto, from Italian, literally, head of fingerboard

Noun (2)

Italian, head, chief, from Latin caput

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1926, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1952, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of capo was in 1926

Phrases Containing capo

Rhymes for capo

See All Rhymes for capo

Browse Nearby Words

cap nut
capo
capoc
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Capo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capo. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

capo

noun
ca·​po
ˈkā-pō
plural capos
: a bar that can be fitted on the fingerboard especially of a guitar to raise the pitch of all the strings
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All