majuscule

/ˌmædʒəsˈkjul/

Other forms: majuscules

A majuscule is just a capital letter — or a term for large script in which every letter is the same height. Now you know what your friend meant when she told you to write your lemonade stand sign in majuscule.

The term majuscule was originally used in the 18th century for an uppercase letter, from the Latin maiusculus, "somewhat larger," a close relative of major. Its antonym, minuscule, is much more commonly used today. You can feel free to impress your friends by using it for capital letters: "I wrote my whole essay using majuscule to make it look more impressive."

Definitions of majuscule

1. noun

   one of the large alphabetic characters used as the first letter in writing or printing proper names and sometimes for emphasis
   synonyms: capital, capital letter, upper-case letter, uppercase

   types:

   small cap, small capital

   a character having the form of an upper-case letter but the same height as lower-case letters

   type of:

   character, grapheme, graphic symbol

   a written symbol that is used to represent speech
2. adjective

   uppercase
   “many medieval manuscripts are in majuscule script”

   synonyms: capital, great

   uppercase

   relating to capital letters which were kept in the top half of a compositor's type case
3. adjective

   of or relating to a style of writing characterized by somewhat rounded capital letters; 4th to 8th centuries
   synonyms:

   uppercase

   relating to capital letters which were kept in the top half of a compositor's type case

   majuscular

   of the nature of a majuscule or written in majuscules

   antonyms:

   minuscule

   of or relating to a small cursive script developed from uncial; 7th to 9th centuries

   lowercase

   relating to small (not capitalized) letters that were kept in the lower half of a compositor's type case