1. The head of a person or animal.
Usage: Latin origin; used chiefly in anatomy, medicine, and formal/academic contexts
2. A chief or leader; a person in authority.
Usage: Latin origin; archaic or formal usage
3. A chapter or section of a book or legal document.
Usage: Latin origin; legal and academic usage

Examples

• The anatomy textbook labeled the caput as the uppermost part of the skeleton.
• In medieval times, the caput of the village held significant power.
• The legal code was organized into several capita, each addressing different statutes.
• The caput of the humerus articulates with the shoulder socket.
• The caput mortuum, or death's head, was a symbol in alchemical texts.