Legal Definitions - capitale

Definition: Capitale (kap-i-tay-lee) is a Latin word that means "a thing." In history, it had two meanings:

1. Movable property, especially animals like 100 head of cattle. This term was used in the past to refer to valuable possessions that could be easily moved from one place to another. Nowadays, the term "chattel" is more commonly used to refer to movable property.
2. A stolen thing or its equivalent value. This meaning is not used anymore.

Examples:

• A farmer who owns 100 cows would have a lot of "capitale" in the past.
• If someone stole a valuable item, they could be punished by having to pay back the "capitale" of the item.

The examples illustrate how "capitale" was used in the past to refer to valuable possessions and how it was also used as a form of punishment for theft.