1610s, "able to contain," from Latin capax (genitive capacis) "able to take in," from capere "to take" (from PIE root *kap- "to grasp") + -ous. The original English sense is obsolete; modern meaning "able to hold much" is from 1630s. Related: Capaciously; capaciousness.
canyon
canzone
cap
capability
capable
capacious
capacitance
capacitate
capacitor
capacity
cap-a-pie
