Difference Wiki

Cap vs. Pill: What's the Difference?

Edited by Huma Saeed || By Sawaira Riaz || Updated on October 5, 2023
A "cap" typically refers to a covering, often for the head or a part of a container, whereas a "pill" is usually a small, solid dose of medication.

Key Differences

"Cap" and "pill" are nouns that refer to different objects. A cap serves as a cover or a lid, often designed to fit onto the end of something, such as the top of a bottle or the end of a pen. It is often used to protect, cover, or seal objects. For example, a bottle cap is used to prevent the liquid inside from spilling out. It can also refer to a type of headwear. Caps can come in various sizes and designs, depending on their intended use.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023
Conversely, a pill is a small, solid dosage form of medication intended for oral administration. Pills are usually compact, making them portable and easy to ingest, and they are one of the most common forms of medication delivery. They can contain a range of active pharmaceutical ingredients to address various health conditions and can be available over-the-counter or by prescription.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023
The word "cap" can also have several other meanings and uses in different contexts. For instance, it can refer to a limit or a restriction placed on something, such as a spending cap. The versatility of the word "cap" demonstrates its adaptability in the English language.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023
On the other hand, "pill" primarily maintains its association with medication and healthcare. Its usage is generally more specific and relates to the field of medicine, focusing on delivering substances intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent a variety of illnesses and conditions.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 23, 2023
It's important to discern the contextual usage of "cap" given its various interpretations, while "pill" requires an understanding of its role in healthcare and medication, emphasizing its importance in treatment and prevention methodologies.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 23, 2023
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Comparison Chart

Definition

A covering or lid.
A small, solid dose of medication.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Usage

Varied, used as coverings, limits, or types of headwear.
Primarily used in the context of medication.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Material

Made from a variety of materials like plastic or fabric.
Composed of active and inactive pharmaceutical ingredients.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Field

Can relate to various fields like fashion or packaging.
Typically associated with healthcare and medicine.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 23, 2023

Grammatical Use

Can be used as a noun or verb, depending on the context.
Generally used as a noun.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023
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Cap and Pill Definitions

Cap

A protective lid or cover.
Please put the cap back on the milk bottle.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Pill

A small, solid dosage of medication.
The doctor prescribed a pill for my headache.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Cap

A type of headwear.
He wore a baseball cap.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Pill

A small, rounded or oval object.
The pillow had a small pill on the surface.
Harlon Moss
Sep 23, 2023

Cap

A limit or restriction.
There's a cap on the amount you can withdraw.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023
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Pill

To form into small, rounded or oval objects.
The fabric started to pill after several washes.
Janet White
Sep 23, 2023

Cap

A usually soft and close-fitting head covering, either having no brim or with a visor.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

A small pellet or tablet of medicine, often coated, taken by swallowing whole or by chewing.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A special head covering worn to indicate rank, occupation, or membership in a particular group
A cardinal's cap.
A sailor's cap.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

(Informal) An oral contraceptive. Used with the.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

An academic mortarboard. Used especially in the phrase cap and gown.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

(Slang) Something, such as a baseball, that resembles a pellet of medicine.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A protective cover or seal, especially one that closes off an end or a tip
A bottle cap.
A 35-millimeter lens cap.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

Something both distasteful and necessary.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A crown for covering or sealing a tooth.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

(Slang) An insipid or ill-natured person.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A truck cap.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

To dose with pills.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A tread for a worn pneumatic tire.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

To make into pills.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A fitted covering used to seal a well or large pipe.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

(Slang) To blackball.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

Chiefly Southern US See eye.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

To form small balls resembling pills
A sweater that pills.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A summit or top, as of a mountain.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

To come off, as in flakes or scales.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

An upper limit; a ceiling
Placed a cap on mortgage rates.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

To subject to extortion.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(Architecture) The capital of a column.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

A small, usually round or cylindrical object designed for easy swallowing, usually containing some sort of medication.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

The top part, or pileus, of a mushroom.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

(strictly) Such an object that is of solid constitution (usually of compressed, bonded powder) rather than a capsule (with a shell containing loose powder or liquid).
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A calyptra.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

Contraceptive medication, usually in the form of a pill to be taken by a woman; an oral contraceptive pill.
Jane went on the pill when she left for college.
She got pregnant one month after going off the pill.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A percussion cap.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

Something offensive, unpleasant or nauseous which must be accepted or endured.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A small explosive charge enclosed in paper for use in a toy gun.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

(slang) A contemptible, annoying, or unpleasant person.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

Any of several sizes of writing paper, such as foolscap.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

(slang) A comical or entertaining person.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(Sports) An appearance by a player in an international soccer game, traditionally rewarded with a hat.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

(textile) A small piece of any substance, for example a ball of fibres formed on the surface of a textile fabric by rubbing. Colloquially known as a bobble, fuzzball, or lint ball.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A capital letter.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

A baseball.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

Capital
Venture cap.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

A bullet projectile.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

Capitalization
Market cap.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

(GUI) A rounded rectangle indicating the tag or category that an item belongs to.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To cover, protect, or seal with a cap.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

(obsolete) The peel or skin.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To award a special cap to as a sign of rank or achievement
Capped the new women nurses at graduation.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

An inlet on the coast; a small tidal pool or bay.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To lie over or on top of; cover
Hills capped with snow.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

Of a woven fabric surface, to form small matted balls of fiber.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To apply the finishing touch to; complete
Cap a meal with dessert.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

To form into the shape of a pill.
Pilling is a skill rarely used by modern pharmacists.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To follow with something better; surpass or outdo
Capped his last trick with a disappearing act that brought the audience to its feet.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

(transitive) To medicate with pills.
She pills herself with all sorts of herbal medicines.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To set an upper limit on
Decided to cap cost-of-living increases.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

To persuade or convince someone of something.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To capitalize.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

To blackball (a potential club member).
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A close-fitting hat, either brimless or peaked.
The children were all wearing caps to protect them from the sun.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

(obsolete) To peel; to remove the outer layer of hair, skin, or bark.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A special hat to indicate rank, occupation, etc.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

To peel; to make by removing the skin.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

An academic mortarboard.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

To be peeled; to peel off in flakes.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A protective cover or seal.
He took the cap off the bottle and splashed himself with some cologne.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

(obsolete) To pillage; to despoil or impoverish.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A crown for covering a tooth.
He had golden caps on his teeth.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

The peel or skin.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

The summit of a mountain, etc.
There was snow on the cap of the mountain.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

A medicine in the form of a little ball, or small round mass, to be swallowed whole.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

An artificial upper limit or ceiling.
We should put a cap on the salaries, to keep them under control.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

Figuratively, something offensive or nauseous which must be accepted or endured.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

The top part of a mushroom.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

To be peeled; to peel off in flakes.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(toy) A small amount of percussive explosive in a paper strip or plastic cup for use in a toy gun.
Billy spent all morning firing caps with his friends, re-enacting storming the beach at Normandy.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

To deprive of hair; to make bald.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A small explosive device used to detonate a larger charge of explosives.
He wired the cap to the bundle of dynamite, then detonated it remotely.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

To peel; to make by removing the skin.
[Jacob] pilled white streaks . . . in the rods.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(slang) A bullet used to shoot someone.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

To rob; to plunder; to pillage; to peel. See Peel, to plunder.
Pillers and robbers were come in to the field to pill and to rob.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A lie or exaggeration.
No cap
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

Something that resembles a pill in shape or size
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(sport) A place on a national team; an international appearance.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

A dose of medicine in the form of a small pellet
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(obsolete) The top, or uppermost part; the chief.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

A unpleasant or tiresome person
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(obsolete) A respectful uncovering of the head.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

Something unpleasant or offensive that must be tolerated or endured;
His competitor's success was a bitter pill to take
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(zoology) The whole top of the head of a bird from the base of the bill to the nape of the neck.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

A contraceptive in the form of a pill containing estrogen and progestin to inhibit ovulation and so prevent conception
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(architecture) The uppermost of any assemblage of parts.
The cap of column, door, etc.; a capital, coping, cornice, lintel, or plate
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

Something unpleasant that one must accept.
Losing the game was a bitter pill to swallow.
Sara Rehman
Sep 23, 2023

Cap

Something covering the top or end of a thing for protection or ornament.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Pill

A contraceptive in pill form.
The pill is a popular contraceptive method.
Harlon Moss
Sep 23, 2023

Cap

(nautical) A collar of iron or wood used in joining spars, as the mast and the topmast, the bowsprit and the jib boom; also, a covering of tarred canvas at the end of a rope.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(geometry) A portion of a spherical or other convex surface.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A large size of writing paper.
Flat cap; foolscap; legal cap
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(finance) Capitalization.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(informal) An uppercase or capital letter.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(electronics) A capacitor.
Parasitic caps.
I had to replace the caps in that thing to get it to work again.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(colloquial) A recording or screenshot.
Anyone have a cap of the games last night?
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(slang) A capsule of a drug.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(colloquial) A capitalist.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

Capillary
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(obsolete) A wooden drinking-bowl with two handles.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(transitive) To cover or seal with a cap.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(transitive) To award a cap as a mark of distinction.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(transitive) To lie over or on top of something.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(transitive) To surpass or outdo.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(transitive) To set an upper limit on something.
Cap wages.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(transitive) To make something even more wonderful at the end.
That really capped my day.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To select a player to play for a specified side.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To shoot (someone) with a firearm.
If he don't get outta my hood, I'm gonna cap his ass.
In a school shooting, where some kid caps a bunch of other kids, where did he get the weapon? From a family member, probably their gun cabinet.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To lie; to tell a lie.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To select to play for the national team.
Peter Shilton is the most capped English footballer.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To salute by uncovering the head respectfully.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To deprive of a cap.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To convert text to uppercase.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

(transitive) To take a screenshot or to record a copy of a video.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A covering for the head
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

The top, or uppermost part; the chief.
Thou art the cap of all the fools alive.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A respectful uncovering of the head.
He that will give a cap and make a leg in thanks.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

The whole top of the head of a bird from the base of the bill to the nape of the neck.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

Anything resembling a cap in form, position, or use
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A large size of writing paper; as, flat cap; foolscap; legal cap.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To cover with a cap, or as with a cap; to provide with a cap or cover; to cover the top or end of; to place a cap upon the proper part of; as, to cap a post; to cap a gun.
The bones next the joint are capped with a smooth cartilaginous substance.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To deprive of cap.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To complete; to crown; to bring to the highest point or consummation; as, to cap the climax of absurdity.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To salute by removing the cap.
Tom . . . capped the proctor with the profoundest of bows.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To match; to mate in contest; to furnish a complement to; as, to cap text; to cap proverbs.
Now I have him under girdle I'll cap verses with him to the end of the chapter.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

To uncover the head respectfully.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A tight-fitting headdress
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A top (as for a bottle)
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A mechanical or electrical explosive device or a small amount of explosive; can be used to initiate the reaction of a disrupting explosive
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

Something serving as a cover or protection
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A fruiting structure resembling an umbrella that forms the top of a stalked fleshy fungus such as a mushroom
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

An upper limit on what is allowed;
They established a cap for prices
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

Dental appliance consisting of an artificial crown for a tooth
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

The upper part of a column that supports the entablature
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

Lie at the top of;
Snow capped the mountains
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

Restrict the number or amount of;
We had to cap the number of people we can accept into our club
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 21, 2023

Cap

A decorative top or cover.
The ornamental cap adorned the fence post.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Cap

To cover or seal with a cap.
You need to cap the pen after using it.
Harlon Moss
Sep 23, 2023

FAQs

Can cap be used as a verb?

Yes, to cap can mean to cover, seal, or restrict.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Can the word cap refer to headwear?

Yes, a cap can refer to a type of headwear.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Can a cap serve as a limit?

Yes, cap can refer to a limit or restriction, like a spending cap.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Is a pill always a form of medication?

Primarily, but "pill" can also metaphorically refer to an unpleasant situation one must accept.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Are pills only available by prescription?

No, some pills are available over-the-counter.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Can a pill be any shape?

Pills are typically round or oval but can come in various shapes.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Is taking a pill the only way to administer medication?

No, medication can also be administered through injections, liquids, creams, etc.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 23, 2023

Does cap have different meanings in different contexts?

Yes, cap can have varied meanings depending on the context.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Is a cap always removable?

Typically, but some caps are designed to be permanently sealed.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Can you break a pill into halves?

Some pills can be split, but it's essential to consult a healthcare provider first.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Can a cap be made of fabric?

Yes, like a baseball cap, it can be made of fabric.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Can the term cap refer to a decorative element?

Yes, cap can refer to a decorative top or cover on objects like fence posts.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Are all pills designed to treat illnesses?

No, some pills are supplements or vitamins and don’t treat illnesses.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Can a cap protect the contents of a container?

Yes, a cap can protect and seal the contents of a container.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 23, 2023

Can pill refer to a contraceptive method?

Yes, "the pill" often refers to a contraceptive method.
Janet White
Sep 23, 2023
About Author
Written by
Sawaira Riaz
Sawaira is a dedicated content editor at difference.wiki, where she meticulously refines articles to ensure clarity and accuracy. With a keen eye for detail, she upholds the site's commitment to delivering insightful and precise content.
Edited by
Huma Saeed
Huma is a renowned researcher acclaimed for her innovative work in Difference Wiki. Her dedication has led to key breakthroughs, establishing her prominence in academia. Her contributions continually inspire and guide her field.

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