Caps

Caps is the plural of cap and refers to several distinct objects and concepts that share a common function of covering, sealing, or limiting. The term appears in everyday objects, language, sports, medicine, and regulation.

Caps are soft hats that cover the top of the head. They include baseball caps, knit caps, and other crown coverings. Caps serve practical purposes such as shielding the eyes from sun or keeping the head warm, and they also carry cultural associations with sports, fashion, and professions.

Caps or caps and closures seal containers to preserve contents and prevent contamination. Metal crown caps and plastic screw caps are common on bottles and jars. Modern closures may add tamper-evidence or child resistance and are designed for varying levels of sealing strength and ease of use.

In dentistry, the informal term cap refers to a crown, a hard covering placed over a damaged tooth to restore function and appearance.

In writing, "caps" is short for capital letters. The term is used in typography and editing to refer to uppercase type, and is closely linked to the Caps Lock keyboard key.

In international sports, a "cap" is an appearance for a national team. Players earn caps through official matches, and statistics track a player's total caps as a measure of experience or longevity.

Cap also means a maximum limit, such as a spending cap, price cap, or capacity cap. To cap something is to set a ceiling or cap it at a specified level.

Less commonly, "caps" may be shorthand for capsules used to deliver medicine.