capts

Capts is an abbreviation commonly used to denote captains. It most often appears as Capts. or Capts, functioning as the plural form of the rank abbreviation Capt. or Cap't. The singular form is typically Capt. or Cap't, and its plural forms include Capts. or Cap'ts in various typographic traditions. In modern running prose, the full word “captains” is generally preferred, with Capts or Cap'ts confined to lists, tables, or archival sources where brevity is required.

Usage and context vary by style and era. Capts tends to appear in rosters, muster rolls, ship logs, and other archival materials, especially in nautical or military records from older periods. In contemporary writing, editors often favor Capt. for the singular and either Captains or the spelled-out “captains” for the plural, while Capts (with or without a period) is still seen in tables, headings, or catalog entries that rely on compact formatting.

Notes and variants. Cap't is an archaic contraction found in some 18th- or 19th-century texts; its plural Cap'ts may occur in historical material but is rare in modern publications. The choice between Capts., Capts, Cap'ts, or other forms is largely determined by house style, publication standards, or the formatting constraints of a given document. Capts should not be confused with a separate term or acronym; in standard usage it remains simply the abbreviated plural of captain.

See also: Captain, Captain (rank), Abbreviations in military writing, Muster roll.