U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual/Capitalization Examples

by United States Government Printing Office

4. Capitalization Examples

A

A-bomb

abstract B, 1, etc.

Academy:

Air Force; the Academy

Andover; the academy

Coast Guard; the Academy

Merchant Marine; the Academy

Military; the Academy

National Academy of Sciences; the Academy of Sciences; the academy

Naval; the Academy

but service academies

accord, Paris peace (see Agreement)

accords, Helsinki

Act (Federal, State, or foreign), short or popular title or with number; the act:

Appropriations

Classification

Clear Skies

Economy

Flood Control

Military Selective Service

No Child Left Behind

Organic Act of Virgin Islands

Panama Canal

PATRIOT

Revenue

Sarbanes-Oxley

Stockpiling

Tariff

Trademark

Walsh-Healey Act; but Walsh-Healey law (or bill)

act, labor-management relations

Acting, if part of capitalized title

Active Duty

Adjutant General, the (see The)

Administration, with name; capitalized standing alone if Federal unit:

Farmers Home

Food and Drug

Maritime

Transportation Security

but Bush administration; administration bill, policy, etc.

Administrative Law Judge Davis; Judge Davis; an administrative law judge

Admiralty, British, etc.

Admiralty, Lord of the

Adobe Acrobat Reader

Adviser, Legal (Department of State)

Africa:

east

East Coast

north

South

South-West (Territory of)

West Coast

African-American (see Black; Negro)

Agency, if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to Federal unit:

Central Intelligence; the Agency

Chippewa (Indian); the agency

agent orange

Age(s):

Age of Discovery

Dark Ages

Elizabethan Age

Golden Age (of Pericles only)

Middle Ages

but atomic age; Cambrian age; copper age; ice age; missile age; rocket age; space age; stone age; etc.

Agreement, with name; the agreement:

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT); the general agreement

International Wheat Agreement; the wheat agreement; the coffee agreement

North American Free-Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

Status of Forces; but status-of-forces agreements

United States-Canada Free-Trade Agreement; the free-trade agreement

but the Geneva agreement; the Potsdam agreement; Paris peace agreement

Air Force:

Air National Guard (see National)

Base (with name); Air Force base (see Base; Station)

Civil Air Patrol; Civil Patrol; the patrol

Command (see Command)

One (Presidential plane)

Reserve

Reserve Officers' Training Corps

Airport: La Guardia; Reagan National; the airport

Al Jazeera

Alaska Native (collective term for Aleuts, Eskimos, Inuits, and Indians of Alaska):

the Native; but Ohio native, a native of Alaska, etc.

Alliance, Farmers', etc.; the alliance

alliances and coalitions (see also powers):

Allied Powers; the powers (World Wars I and II)

Atlantic alliance

Axis, the; Axis Powers; the powers

Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)

Big Four (European); of the Pacific

Big Three

Central Powers; the powers (World War I)

Coalition of the Willing

European Economic Community

Fritalux (France, Italy, Benelux countries)

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (see Organization)

Western Powers

Allied (World Wars I and II):

armies

Governments

Nations

peoples

Powers; the powers; but European powers

Supreme Allied Commander

Allies, the (World Wars I and II); also members of Western bloc (political entity); but our allies; weaker allies, etc.

Al Qaeda

Alzheimer's disease

Ambassador:

British, etc.; the Ambassador; the Senior Ambassador; His Excellency Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary; the Ambassador; Ambassador at Large; an ambassador

amendment:

Baker amendment

Social Security Amendments of 1983; 1983 amendments; the Social Security amendments; the amendments

to the Constitution (U.S.); but First Amendment, 14th Amendment, etc.; the Amendment

American:

Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO); the federation

Gold Star Mothers, Inc.; Gold Star Mothers; a Mother

Legion (see Legion)

National Red Cross; the Red Cross

Veterans of World War II (AMVETS)

War Mothers; a Mother

AmeriCorps Program

Amtrak (National Railroad Passenger Corporation)

Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; a Mason; a Freemason

Annex, if part of name of building; the annex

Antarctic Ocean (see Arctic; Ocean)

appendix 1, A, II, etc.; the appendix; but Appendix II, when part of title: Appendix II:^[1] Education Directory

appropriation bill (see also bill):

deficiency

Department of Agriculture

for any governmental unit

independent offices

aquaculture; acquiculture

Arab States

Arabic numerals

Arboretum, National; the Arboretum

Archipelago, Philippine, etc.; the archipelago

Architect of the Capitol; the Architect

Archivist of the United States; the Archivist

Arctic:

Circle

Current (see Current)

Ocean

zone

but subarctic

arctic (descriptive adjective):

clothing

conditions

fox

grass

night

seas

Area, if part of name; the area:

Cape Hatteras Recreational

White Pass Recreation; etc.

but area 2; free trade area; Metropolitan Washington area; bay area; nonsmoking area

Arlington:

Memorial Amphitheater; the Memorial Amphitheater; the amphitheater

Memorial Bridge (see Bridge)

National Cemetery (see Cemetery)

Arm, Infantry, etc. (military); the arm

Armed Forces (synonym for overall Military Establishment):

British

Retirement Home (AFRT)

of the United States

armed services

armistice

Armory, Springfield, etc.; the armory

Army, American or foreign, if part of name;

capitalized standing alone only if referring to U.S. Army:

Active; Active-Duty

Adjutant General, the

All-Volunteer

Band (see Band)

branches; Gordon Highlanders; Royal Guards; etc.

Brigade, 1st, etc.; the brigade; Robinson's brigade

Command (see Command)

Command and General Staff College (see College)

Company A; A Company; the company

Confederate (referring to Southern Confederacy); the Confederates

Continental; Continentals

Corps, Reserve (see Corps)

District of Washington (military); the district

Division, 1st, etc.; the division

Engineers (the Corps of Engineers); the Engineers; but Army engineer

Establishment

Field Establishment

Field Forces (see Forces)

Finance Department; the Department 1st, etc.

General of the Army; but the general General Staff; the Staff

Headquarters, 1st Regiment

Headquarters of the; the headquarters

Regiment, 1st, etc.; the regiment

Regular Army officer; a Regular

Revolutionary (American, British, French, etc.)

service

Surgeon General, the (see Surgeon General)

Volunteer; the Volunteers; a Volunteer

army:

Lee's army; but Clark's 5th Army

mobile

mule, shoe, etc.

of occupation; occupation army

Red

Arsenal, Rock Island, etc.; the arsenal

article 15; but Article 15, when part of title: Article 15: Uniform Code of Military Justice

Articles:

of Confederation (U.S.)

of Impeachment; the articles

Asian (see Orient, the oriental)

Assembly (see United Nations)

Assembly of New York; the assembly (see also Legislative Assembly)

Assistant, if part of capitalized title; the assistant

assistant, Presidential (see Presidential)

Assistant Secretary (see Secretary)

Associate Justice (see Supreme Court)

Association, if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to Federal unit:

American Association for the Advancement of Science; the association

Federal National Mortgage (Fannie Mae); the Association

Young Women's Christian; the association

Astrophysical Observatory (see Observatory)

Atlantic (see also Pacific):

Charter (see Charter)

coast

Coast States

community

Destroyer Flotilla; the destroyer flotilla; the flotilla

Fleet (see Fleet)

mid-Atlantic

North

seaboard

slope

South

time, standard time (see time)

but cisatlantic; transatlantic

Attorney General (U.S. or foreign country); but attorney general of Maine, etc.

attorney, U.S.

Authority, capitalized standing alone if referring to Federal unit:

National Shipping; the Authority

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; the port authority; the authority

St. Lawrence Seaway Authority of Canada; the authority

Tennessee Valley; the Authority

Auto Train (Amtrak)

autumn

Avenue, Constitution, etc.; the avenue

Award:

Academy

Distinguished Service

Merit

Mother of the Year

the award (see also decorations, etc.)

Axis, the (see alliances)

Ayatollah; an ayatollah

 

B

Badlands (SD and NE)

Balkan States (see States)

Baltic States (see States)

Band, if part of name; the band:

Army, Marine, Navy

Eastern, etc. (of Cherokee Indians)

Bank, if part of name; the bank; capitalized standing alone if referring to international bank:

Export-Import Bank of the United States; Ex-Im Bank; the Bank

Farm Loan Bank of Dallas; Dallas Farm Loan Bank; farm loan bank; farm loan bank at Dallas

Farmers & Mechanics, etc.

Federal Land Bank of Louisville; Louisville Federal Land Bank; land bank at Louisville; Federal land bank

Federal Reserve Bank of New York; Richmond Federal Reserve Bank; but Reserve bank at Richmond; Federal Reserve bank; Reserve bank; Reserve city

First National, etc.

German Central; the Bank

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development; the Bank

but blood bank, central reserve, soil bank

Bar, if part of name; Maryland (State) Bar Association; Maryland (State) bar; the State bar; the bar association

Barracks, if part of name; the barracks:

Carlisle

Disciplinary (Leavenworth)

Marine (District of Columbia)

but A barracks; barracks A; etc.

Base, Andrews Air Force; Air Force base; the base (see also Naval); but Sandia Base

Basin (see geographic terms)

Battery, the (New York City)

Battle, if part of name; the battle:

of Gettysburg; but battle at Gettysburg; etc.

of the Bulge; of the Marne; of the Wilderness; of Waterloo; etc.

battlefield, Bull Run, etc.

battleground, Manassas, etc.

Bay, San Francisco Bay area; the bay area

Belt, if part of name; the belt:

Bible

Farm

Rust

Sun

but money belt

Beltway, capitalized with name; the beltway

Bench (see Supreme Bench)

Benelux (see alliances)

Bible; Biblical; Scriptures; Ten Commandments; etc. (see also book)

bicentennial

bill, Kiess; Senate bill 217; House bill 31 (see also appropriation bill)

Bill of Rights (historic document); but GI bill of rights

Bizonia; bizonal; bizone

Black (see African-American; Negro)

Black Caucus (see Congressional)

bloc (see Western)

block (grants)

Bluegrass region, etc.

B'nai B'rith

Board, if part of name; capitalized standing alone only if referring to Federal or international board:

Employees' Compensation Appeals

Federal Reserve (see Federal)

Military Production and Supply (NATO)

National Labor Relations

of Directors (Federal unit); but board of directors (nongovernmental)

of Health of Montgomery County; Montgomery County Board of Health; the board of health; the board

of Regents (Smithsonian)

of Visitors (Military and Naval Academies)

on Geographic Names

Railroad Retirement

bond:

Government

savings

series EE

Treasury

book:

books of the Bible

First Book of Samuel; etc.

Good Book (synonym for Bible)

book 1, 1, etc.; but Book 1, when part of title: Book 1: The Golden Legend

Boolean:

logic

operator

search

border, United States-Mexican

Borough, if part of name: Borough of the Bronx; the borough

Botanic Garden (National); the garden (not Botanical Gardens)

Bowl, Dust, Rose, Super, etc.; the bowl

Boy Scouts (the organization); a Boy Scout; a Scout; Scouting; Eagle Scout; Explorer Scout

Branch, if part of name; capitalized standing alone only if referring to a Federal unit:

Accounts

Public Buildings

but executive, judicial, or legislative branch

Bridge, if part of name; the bridge:

Arlington Memorial; Memorial;

Francis Scott Key; Key

but Baltimore & Ohio Railroad bridge

Brother(s) (adherent of religious order)

budget:

department

estimate

Federal

message

performance-type

President's

Budget of the United States Government, the Budget (publication)

Building, if part of name; the building:

Capitol (see Capitol Building)

Colorado

House (or Senate) Office

Investment

New House (or Senate) Office

Old House Office

Pentagon

the National Archives; the Archives

Treasury; Treasury Annex

Bulletin 420; Farmers' Bulletin No. 420

Bureau, if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to Federal or international unit:

of Customs (name changed to U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

of Engraving and Printing

of Indian Affairs

 

C

C-SPAN

Cabinet, American or foreign, if part of name or standing alone (see also foreign cabinets):

British Cabinet; the Cabinet

the President's Cabinet; the Cabinet; Cabinet officer, member

Calendar, if part of name; the calendar:

Consent; etc.

House

No. 99; Calendars Nos. 1 and 2

of Bills and Resolutions

Private

Senate

Unanimous Consent

Union

Wednesday (legislative)

Cambrian age (see Ages)

Camp Lejeune; David, etc.; the camp

Canal, with name; the canal:

Cross-Florida Barge

Isthmian

Panama

Cape (see geographic terms)

Capital, Capital City, National Capital (Washington, DC); but the capital (State)

Capitol Building (with State name); the capital

Capitol, the (Washington, DC):

Architect of

Building

caucus room

Chamber

Cloakroom

dome

Grounds

Halls (House and Senate)

Halls of Congress

Hill; the Hill

Police (see Police)

Power Plant

Prayer Room

Press Gallery, etc.

rotunda

Senate wing

stationery room

Statuary Hall

the well (House or Senate)

west front

catch-22

Caucasian (see White)

caucus: Republican; but Congressional Black Caucus (incorporated name); Sun Belt Caucus

CD-ROM

Cemetery, if part of name: Arlington National; the cemetery

Census:

Twenty-third Decennial (title); Twenty-third (title); the census

2000 census

2000 Census of Agriculture; the census of agriculture; the census

the 23d and subsequent decennial censuses

Center, if part of name; the Center (Federal); the center (non-Federal):

Agricultural Research, etc.; the Center (Federal)

Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; the Kennedy Center; the Center (Federal)

the Lincoln Center; the center (non-Federal)

central Asia, etc.

Central America

Central Europe

Central States

central time (see time)

century, first, 21st, etc.

Chair, the, if personified

Chairman, Chairwoman, Chair:

of the Board of Directors; the Chairman (Federal); but chairman of the board of directors (non-Federal)

of the Committee of the Whole House; the Chairman

of the Federal Trade Commission; the Chairman

Vice

chairman, chairwoman, chair (congressional):

of the Appropriations Committee

of the Subcommittee on Banking

but Chairman Davis, Chairwoman Landrieu

Chamber of Commerce; the chamber:

of Ada; Ada Chamber of Commerce; the chamber of commerce

of the United States; U.S. Chamber of Commerce; the chamber of commerce; national chamber

Chamber, the (Senate or House)

channel 3 (TV); the channel

Chaplain (House or Senate); but Navy chaplain

chapter 5, II, etc.; but Chapter 5, when part of title: Chapter 5: Research and Development; Washington chapter, Red Cross

Chargé d'Affaires, British, etc.; the Chargé d'Affaires; the Chargé

chart 2, A, II, etc.; but Chart 2, when part of legend: Chart 2.—Army strength

Charter, capitalized with name; the charter:

Atlantic

United Nations

cheese: Camembert, Cheddar, Parmesan, Provolone, Roquefort, etc.

Chief, if referring to head of Federal unit; the Chief:

Clerk

Forester (see Forester)

Intelligence Office

Judge

Justice (U.S. Supreme Court); but chief justice (of a State)

Magistrate (the President)

of Division of Publications

of Engineers (Army)

of Naval Operations

of Staff

Christian; Christendom; Christianity; Christianize; but christen

church and state

church calendar:

Christmas

Easter

Lent

Pentecost (Whitsuntide)

Church, if part of name of organization or building

Circle, if part of name; the circle:

Arctic

Logan

but great circle

Circular 420

cities, sections of, official or popular names:

East Side

French Quarter (New Orleans)

Latin Quarter (Paris)

North End

Northwest Washington, etc. (District of Columbia); the Northwest; but northwest (directional)

the Loop (Chicago)

City, if part of corporate or popular name; the city:

Kansas City; the two Kansas Citys

Mexico City

New York City; but city of New York

Twin Cities

Washington City; but city of Washington

Windy City (Chicago)

but Reserve city (see Bank)

civil action No. 46

civil defense

Civil War (see War)

Clan, if part of tribal name; Clan MacArthur; the clan

class 2, A, II, etc.; but Class 2 when part of title: Class 2: Leather Products

Clerk, the, of the House of Representatives;

of the Supreme Court of the United States

clerk, the, of the Senate

client

client/server

coal sizes: pea, barley, buckwheat, stove, etc.

coalition; coalition force; coalition members, etc.

coast: Atlantic, east, gulf, west, etc.

Coast Guard, U.S.; the Coast Guard; Coastguardsman Smith; but a

coastguardsman; a guardsman; Reserve

Coastal Plain (Atlantic and Gulf)

Code (in shortened title of a publication); the code:

District

Federal Criminal

Internal Revenue (also Tax Code)

International (signal)

of Federal Regulations

Penal; Criminal; etc.

Pennsylvania State

Radio

Television

Uniform Code of Military Justice

United States

ZIP Code (copyrighted)

but civil code; flag code; Morse code

codel (congressional delegation)

collection, Brady, etc.; the collection

collector of customs

College, if part of name; the college:

Armed Forces Staff

Command and General Staff

Gettysburg

National War

of Bishops

but electoral college

college degrees: bachelor of arts, master's, etc.

Colonials (American Colonial Army); but colonial times, etc.

Colonies, the:

Thirteen

Thirteen American

Thirteen Original

but 13 separate Colonies

colonists, the

Command, capitalize with name; the command:

Air Force Materiel

Army

Central (CENCOM)

Naval Space

Zone of Interior

Commandant, the (Coast Guard or Marine Corps only)

Commandos, the; Commando raid; a commando

Commission (if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to Federal or international commission):

International Boundary, United States and Canada

of Fine Arts

Public Buildings

Commissioner, if referring to Federal or international commission; the Commissioner:

Land Bank; but land bank commissioner loans

of Customs and Border Protection

U.S. (International Boundary Commission, etc.)

but a U.S. commissioner

Committee (or Subcommittee) (if part of name; the Committee, if referring to international or noncongressional Federal committee or to the Committee of the Whole, the Committee of the Whole House, or the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union):

American Medical Association Committee on Education; the committee on education; the committee

Appropriations, etc.; the committee; Subcommittee on Appropriations; the subcommittee; subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee

Democratic National; the national committee; the committee; Democratic national committeeman

Democratic policy committee; the committee

Joint Committee on Printing; the Joint Committee; the committee; but a joint committee

of Defense Ministers (NATO); the Committee (see also Organization, North Atlantic Treaty)

of One Hundred, etc.; the committee on Finance; the committee

President's Advisory Committee on Management; the Committee

Republican National; the national committee; the committee; Republican national committeeman

Republican policy committee; the committee

Senate policy committee

Subcommittee on Immigration; the subcommittee

but Baker committee

ad hoc committee

conference committee

Committee Print No. 32; Committee Prints Nos. 8 and 9; committee print

Common Cause

Commonwealth:

British Commonwealth; the Commonwealth

of Australia

of Kentucky

of Massachusetts

of Pennsylvania

of Virginia

Communist Party; a Communist

compact, U.S. marine fisheries, etc.; the compact

Company, if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to unit of Federal Government:

Panama Canal Railway Company; the Company

Procter & Gamble Co.; the company

Comptroller of the Currency; the Comptroller

Comptroller General (U.S.); the Comptroller

Comsat

Concord

Confederacy (of the South)

Confederate:

Army

flag

Government

soldier

States

Confederation, Articles of

Conference, if referring to governmental (U.S.) or international conference:

Bretton Woods; the Conference

Judicial Conference of the United States; U.S. Judicial Conference; Judicial Conference; the Conference

Tenth Annual Conference of the United Methodist Churches; the conference

Congress (convention), if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to international congress:

Library of

of Industrial Organizations

of Parents and Teachers, National; the congress

Congress (legislature), if referring to national congress:

of Bolivia, etc.; the Congress

of the United States; First, Second, 10th, 103d, etc.; the Congress

Congressional:

Black Caucus; the Black Caucus; the caucus

Directory, the directory

District, First, 10th, etc.; the First District; the congressional district; the district

Medal of Honor (see decorations)

but congressional action, committee, etc.

Congressman; Congresswoman; Congressman at Large; Member of Congress; Member; membership

Conservative Party; a Conservative

Constitution, with name of country; capitalized standing alone when referring to a specific national constitution; but New York State Constitution; the constitution

constitutional

consul, British, general, etc.

consulate, British, etc.

Consumer Price Index (official title); the price index; the index; but a consumers' price index (descriptive)

Continent, only if following name; North American Continent; the continent; but the Continent (continental Europe)

Continental:

Army; the Army

Congress; the Congress

Divide (see Divide)

Outer Continental Shelf

Shelf; the shelf; a continental shelf

continental Europe, United States, etc.

Continentals (Revolutionary soldiers)

Convention, governmental (U.S.), international, or national political; the convention:

89th National Convention of the American Legion

Constitutional (United States, 1787); the Convention

Democratic National; Democratic

Genocide (international)

on International Civil Aviation

Republican National; Republican

Universal Postal Union; Postal Union

also International Postal; Warsaw

copper age (see Ages)

Corporation, if part of name; the Corporation, if referring to unit of Federal Government:

Commodity Credit

Federal Deposit Insurance

National Railroad Passenger (Amtrak)

Rand Corp.; the corporation

St. Lawrence Seaway Development

Union Carbide Corp.; the corporation

Virgin Islands

Corps, if part of name; the corps, all other uses:

Adjutant General's

Army Reserve

Chemical

diplomatic

Finance

Foreign Service Officer (see Foreign Service)

Job

Judge Advocate General's

Marine (see Marine Corps)

Medical

Military Police

Nurse

of Cadets (West Point)

of Engineers; Army Engineers; the Engineers; but Army engineer; the corps

Ordnance

Peace; Peace Corpsman; the corpsman

Quartermaster

Reserve Officers' Training (ROTC)

VII Corps, etc.

Signal

Transportation

Youth

but diplomatic corps

corpsman; hospital corpsman

corridor, Northeast

Council, if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to Federal or international unit (see also United Nations):

Boston City; the council

Choctaw, etc.; the council

Her Majesty's Privy Council; the Privy Council; the Council

National Security; the Council

of Foreign Ministers (NATO); the Council

of the Organization of American States; the Council

Philadelphia City; the council

counsel; general counsel

County, Prince George's; county of Prince George's; County Kilkenny, etc.; Loudoun and Fairfax Counties; the

county

Court (of law) capitalized if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to the Supreme Court of the United States, to the Court of Impeachment (U.S. Senate), or to an international court:

Circuit Court of the United States for the Tenth Circuit; Circuit Court for the Tenth Circuit; the circuit court; the court; the tenth circuit

Court of Appeals for the State of North Carolina, etc.; the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals; the court of appeals; the court

Court of Claims; the court

Court of Impeachment, the Senate; the Court

District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Missouri; the district court; the court

International Court of Justice; the Court

Permanent Court of Arbitration; the Court

Superior Court of the District of Columbia; the superior court; the court

Supreme Court of the United States (see Supreme Court). ::Supreme Court of Virginia, etc.; the supreme court; the court. ::Tax Court; the court

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia; the court. :Covenant, League of Nations; the covenant

Creed, Apostles'; the Creed

Crown, if referring to a ruler; but crown colony, lands, etc.

cruise missile

Current, if part of name; the current:

Arctic

Humboldt

Japan

North Equatorial

customhouse; customs official

czar; czarist.

 

D.

Dalai Lama.

Dalles, The; but the Dalles region

Dark Ages (see Ages)

Daughters of the American Revolution; a Daughter

daylight saving time

Declaration, capitalized with name: of Independence; the Declaration of Panama; the declaration

decorations, medals, etc., awarded by United States or any foreign national government; the medal, the cross, the ribbon (see also Award):

Air Medal

Bronze Star Medal

Commendation Ribbon

Congressional Medal of Honor

Croix de Guerre

Distinguished Flying Cross

Distinguished Service Cross

Distinguished Service Medal

Good Conduct Medal

Legion of Merit

Medal for Merit

Medal of Freedom

Medal of Honor

Mother of the Year

Purple Heart

Silver Star Medal

Soldier's Medal

Victoria Cross

Victory Medal

but oakleaf cluster

also Carnegie Medal; Olympic Gold Medal; but gold medal. :Decree (see Executive); Royal Decree

Deep South

Defense Establishment (see Establishment)

Deity, words denoting, capitalized

Delegate (U.S. Congress)

Delegates, Virginia House of

delegate (to a conference); the delegate; the delegation

Delta, Mississippi River; the delta

Democratic Party; a Democrat

Department, if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to a Federal or international unit:

of Agriculture

of the Treasury

of Veterans Affairs

Yale University Department of Economics; the department of economics; the department

Department of New York, American Legion

department:

executive

judicial

legislative

Depot, if part of name; the depot (see also Station)

Depression, Great

Deputy, if part of capitalized title; but the deputy

derivatives of proper names:

alaska seal (fur)

angora wool

angstrom unit

argyle wool

artesian well

astrakhan fabric

babbitt metal

benday process

bologna

bordeaux

bourbon whiskey

bowie knife

braille

brazil nut

brazilwood

brewer's yeast

bristolboard

brussel sprouts

brussels carpet

bunsen burner

burley tobacco

Canada balsam (microscopy)

carlsbad twins (petrography)

cashmere shawl

castile soap

cesarean section

chantilly lace

chesterfield coat

china clay

chinese blue

collins (drink)

congo red

cordovan leather

coulomb

curie

degaussing apparatus

delft ware

derby hat

diesel engine, dieselize

dixie cup

dotted swiss

epsom salt

fedora hat

frankfurter

french chalk

french dressing

french-fried potatoes

fuller's earth

gargantuan

gauss

georgette crepe

german silver

gilbert

glauber salt

gothic type

graham cracker

herculean task

hessian fly

holland cloth

hoolamite detector

hudson seal (fur)

india ink

india rubber

italic type

Jamaica ginger

japan varnish

jersey fabric

johnin test

joule

knickerbocker

kraft paper

lambert

leghorn hat

levant leather

levantine silk

lilliputian

logan tent

london purple

lyonnaise potatoes

macadamized road

mach (no period) number

madras cloth

maginot line (non literal)

manila paper

maraschino cherry

mason jar

maxwell

melba toast

mercerized fabric

merino sheep

molotov cocktail

morocco leather

morris chair

murphy bed

navy blue

nelson, half nelson, etc.

neon light

newton

nissen hut

norfolk jacket

oriental rug

oxford shoe

panama hat

parianware

paris green

parkerhouse roll

pasteurized milk

persian lamb

petri dish

pharisaic

philistine

photostat

pitman arm

pitot tube

plaster of paris

prussian blue

quisling

quixotic idea

quonset hut

rembert wheel

roentgen

roman candle

roman cement

roman type

russia leather

russian bath

rutherford

sanforize

saratoga chips

scotch plaid, but Scotch tape (trademark)

shanghai

siamese twins

spanish omelet

stillson wrench

surah silk

swiss cheese

timothy grass

turkey red

turkish towel

utopia, utopian

vandyke collar

vaseline

venetian blind

venturi tube

victoria (carriage)

vienna bread

virginia reel

wedgwoodware

wheatstone bridge

wilton rug

zeppelin

dial-up

Diet, Japanese (legislative body)

diplomatic corps (see also Corps; service)

Director, if referring to head of Federal or international unit; the Director:

District Director of Internal Revenue

of Fish and Wildlife Service

of National Geodetic Survey

of the Mint

Office of Management and Budget

but director, board of directors (nongovernmental)

Director General of Foreign Service; the Director General; the Director

diseases and related terms:

AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome)

Alzheimer's disease

cerebral palsy

Down syndrome

German measles

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)

Hodgkin's disease

Lyme disease

Marfan's syndrome

Ménière's syndrome

myasthenia gravis

Parkinson's disease

Reye's syndrome

spina bifida

Distinguished Service Medal, etc. (see decorations)

District, if part of name; the district:

Alexandria School District No. 4; school district No. 4

Congressional (with number)

Federal (see Federal)

Los Angeles Water; the water district

but customs district No. 2; first assembly district; public utility district

District of Columbia; the District:

Anacostia Flats; the flats

Arlington Memorial Bridge; the Memorial Bridge; the bridge

Children's Hospital; the hospital

District jail; the jail; DC jail

Ellipse, the

Mall, The National; The Mall

Mayor (when pertaining to the District of Columbia only)

Metropolitan Police; Metropolitan policeman; the police

police court

Public Library; the library

Reflecting Pool; the pool

Tidal Basin; the basin

Washington Channel; the channel

Divide, Continental (Rocky Mountains); the divide

Divine Father; but divine guidance, divine providence, divine service

Division, Army, if part of name: 1st Cavalry Division; 1st Air Cavalry Division; the division

Division, if referring to Federal governmental unit; the Division:

Buick Division; the division; a division of General Motors

Passport; the Division

but Trinity River division (reclamation); the division

Dixie

docket No. 66; dockets Nos. 76 and 77

Doctrine, Monroe; the doctrine; but Truman, Eisenhower doctrine

doctrine, fairness

Document, if part of name; the document:

Document No. 130

Document Numbered One Hundred Thirty

draconian

drawing II, A, 3, etc.; but Drawing 2 when part of title: Drawing 2.—Hydroelectric Power Development

Dust Bowl (see Bowl)

 

E

Earth (planet)

East:

Coast (Africa)

Middle, Mideast (Asia)

Near (Balkans)

Side of New York

South Central States

the East (section of United States)

east:

Africa

coast (U.S.)

Pennsylvania

Eastern:

Gulf States

Middle, Mideastern (Asia)

North Central States

Shore (Chesapeake Bay)

States

United States

eastern:

France

seaboard

Wisconsin

easterner

EE-bond

electoral college; the electors

Elizabethan Age (see Ages)

email (lowercase within a sentence)

Email (uppercase "E" to start a sentence)

Emancipation Proclamation (see Proclamation)

Embassy, British, etc.; the Embassy

Emperor, Japanese, etc.; the Emperor

Empire, Roman; the empire

Engine Company, Bethesda; engine company No. 6; No. 6 engine company; the company

Engineer officer, etc. (of Engineer Corps); the Engineers

Engineers, Chief of (Army)

Engineers, Corps of (see Corps)

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary; the Envoy; the

Minister

Equator, the; equatorial

Establishment, if part of name; the establishment:

Army

Army Field

Defense

Federal

Military

Naval; but naval establishment; Naval Establishments Regs

Navy

Postal

Regular

Reserve

Shore

but civil establishment; legislative establishment

Estate, Girard (a foundation); the estate

estate, third (the commons); fourth (the press); tax; etc.

Eurodollar, euro

Excellency, His, Her; Their Excellencies

Exchange, New York Stock; the stock exchange; the exchange

Executive (President of United States):

Chief

Decree No. 100; Decree 100; but Executive decree; direction

Mansion; the mansion; the White House

Office; the Office

Order No. 34; Order 34; but Executive order

power

executive:

agreement

branch

communication

department

document

paper

privilege

exhibit 2, A, II, etc.; but Exhibit 2, when part of title: Exhibit 2: Capital Expenditures, 1935-49

Expedition, Byrd; Lewis and Clark; the expedition

Exposition, California-Pacific

International, etc.; the exposition

 

F

Fair Deal

Fair, World's, etc.; the fair; Texas State Fair

fall (season)

Falls, Niagara; the falls

Far East, Far Eastern; Far West (U.S.); but far western

Farm, if part of name; the farm:

Johnson Farm; but Johnson's farm

San Diego Farm

Wild Tiger Farm

Fascist; fascism

Father of his Country (Washington)

Fed, the (no period)

Federal (synonym for United States or other sovereign power):

Depository Library Program but Federal depository library, libraries

District (Mexico)

Establishment

Government (of any national government)

grand jury; the grand jury

land bank (see Bank)

Register (publication); the Register

Reserve Board, the Board; also Federal

Reserve System, the System; Federal

Reserve Board Regulation W, but regulation W but a federal form of government

federally

fellow, fellowship (academic)

Field, Byrd, Stewart, etc.; the field

figure 2, A, II, etc. (illustration); but Figure 2, when part of legend: Figure 2.—Market scenes

firewall

firm names:

ACDelco

America Online (AOL)

Bausch & Lomb Inc.

BP

Bristol-Myers Squibb

Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co.

Coldwell Banker

Colgate-Palmolive Co.

Comcast

Dow Jones & Co., Inc.

Dun & Bradstreet

eBay

E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.

FedEx

GlaxoSmithKline

Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (A&P)

Hamilton Beach/Proctor Silex, Inc.

Hartmarx Corp.

Hewlett-Packard

Houghton Mifflin Co.

Ingersoll-Rand Co.

Intel Corp.

J.C. Penney Co., Inc.

Johns-Manville Corp.

Kennecott Exploration Co.

Kmart

Libbey-Owens-Ford Co.

Macmillan Co.

Merck & Co., Inc.

Merrill Lynch

Microsoft

Pfizer Inc.

Phelps Dodge Corp.

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Procter & Gamble Co.

Rand McNally & Co.

Rolls-Royce

Sun Microsystems

3M

Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

US Airways

Wal-Mart

Weyerhaeuser Co.

Xerox Corp.

First Family (Presidential)

First Lady (wife of President)

First World War (see War)

flag code

flag, U.S.:

Old Flag, Old Glory

Stars and Stripes

Star-Spangled Banner

flags, foreign:

Tricolor (French)

Union Jack (British)

United Nations

Fleet, if part of name; the fleet:

Atlantic

Channel

Grand

High Seas

Marine Force

Naval Reserve

Pacific, etc. (naval)

6th Fleet, etc.

U.S.

flex fuel

floor (House or Senate)

fly way; Canadian flyway, etc.

Force(s), if part of name; the force(s):

Active Forces

Active-Duty

Air (see also Air Force)

All-Volunteer

Armed Forces (synonym for overall

U.S. Military Establishment)

Army Field Forces; the Field Forces

Fleet Marine

Navy Battle (see Navy)

Navy Scouting (see Navy); Reserve Force Rapid Deployment

Task Force 70; the task force; but task force report

United Nations Emergency; the Emergency Force; the Force; but United Nations police force

foreign cabinets:

Minister of Foreign Affairs; Foreign Minister; the Minister

Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry

Office of Foreign Missions; the Office

Minister Plenipotentiary

Premier

Prime Minister

Foreign Legion (French); the legion

Foreign Service; the Service:

officer

Officer Corps; the corps

Reserve officer; the Reserve officer

Reserve Officer Corps; the Reserve Corps; the corps

Staff officer; the Staff officer

Staff Officer Corps; the Staff Corps; the corps

Forest, if part of name; the national forest; the forest:

Angeles National

Black

Coconino and Prescott National Forests

but State and National forests (see System)

Forester (Chief of Forest Service); the Chief; also Chief Forester

form 2, A, II, etc.; but Form 2, when part of title: Form 1040: Individual Income Tax Return; but withholding tax form

Fort McHenry, etc.; the fort

Foundation, if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to Federal unit:

Chemical; the foundation

Ford; the foundation

National Science; the Foundation

Russell Sage; the foundation

Founding Fathers; Founders/Founder (of this Nation, Country)

four freedoms

Framers (of the U.S. Constitution; of the Bill of Rights)

free world

Frisco (for San Francisco; no apostrophe)

Fritalux (see alliances)

Fund, if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to international or United Nations fund:

Democracy (United Nations); the Fund

International Monetary; the Fund

but civil service retirement fund; highway trust fund; mutual security fund; national service life insurance fund; revolving fund

 

G

Gadsden Purchase

Gallery of Art, National (see National)

Gallup Poll; the poll

GAO (Government Accountability Office)

Geiger counter

General Order No. 14; General Orders No. 14; a general order

General Schedule

gentile

Geographer, the (State Department)

geographic terms (terms, such as those listed below,^[2] are capitalized if part of name; are lowercased in general sense (rivers of Virginia and Maryland)):

Archipelago

Area

Arroyo

Atoll

Bank

Bar

Basin, Upper (Lower) Colorado River, etc. (legal entity); but Hansen flood-control basin; Missouri River basin (drainage); upper Colorado River storage project

Bay

Bayou

Beach

Bench

Bend

Bight

Bluff

Bog

Borough (boro)

Bottom

Branch (stream)

Brook

Butte

Canal; the canal (Panama)

Canyon

Cape

Cascade

Cave

Cavern

Channel; but Mississippi River channel(s)

Cirque

Coulee

Cove

Crag

Crater

Creek

Crossroads

Current (ocean feature)

Cut

Cutoff

Dam

Delta

Desert

Divide

Dome (not geologic)

Draw (stream)

Dune

Escarpment

Estuary

Falls

Fault

Flat(s)

Floodway

Ford

Forest

Fork (stream)

Gap

Geyser

Glacier

Glen

Gorge

Gulch

Gulf

Gut

Harbor

Head

Hill

Hogback

Hollow

Hook

Horn

Hot Spring

Icefield

Ice Shelf

Inlet

Island

Isle

Islet

Keys {Florida only)

Knob

Lagoon

Lake

Landing

Ledge

Lowland

Marsh

Massif

Mesa

Monument

Moraine

Mound

Mount

Mountain

Narrows

Neck

Needle

Notch

Oasis

Ocean

Oxbow

Palisades

Park

Pass

Passage

Peak

Peninsula

Plain

Plateau

Point

Pond

Pool

Port (water body)

Prairie

Range (mountain)

Rapids

Ravine

Reef

Reservoir

Ridge

River

Roads (anchorage)

Rock

Run (stream)

Sea

Seaway

Shoal

Sink

Slough

Sound

Spit

Spring

Spur

Strait

Stream

Summit

Swamp

Terrace

Thoroughfare

Trench

Trough

Valley

Volcano

Wash

Waterway

Woods

Geological Survey (see Survey)

GI bill of rights

Girl Scouts (organization); a Girl Scout; a Scout; Scouting

G-man

Gold Star Mothers (see American)

Golden Age (see Ages)

Golden Rule

Gospel, if referring to the first four books of the New Testament; but gospel music

Government:

British, etc.; the Government

department, officials, -owned, publications, etc. (U.S. Government)

National and State Governments

Printing Office (see Office)

U.S.; National; Federal

Government information product

government:

Churchill

Communist

District (of Columbia)

European governments

Federal, State, and municipal

governments

insular; island

military

seat of

State

State and Provincial governments

Territorial

governmental

Governor:

of Louisiana, etc.; the Governor; a Governor; State Governor(s); Governors' conference

of Puerto Rico; the Governor

of the Federal Reserve Board; the Governor

Governor General of Canada; the Governor General

GPO Access

grand jury (see Federal)

Grange, the (National)

grant, Pell

graph 2, A, II, etc.; but Graph 2, when part of title: Graph 2.—Production levels

Great:

Basin

Depression

Divide

Lakes; the lakes; lake(s) traffic

Plains; but southern Great Plains

Seal (any nation)

Society

War (see War)

White Way (New York City)

great circle (navigation)

Greater Los Angeles, Greater New York

gross national product (GNP)

Group:

G8 (Group of 8) (representatives of the eight leading industrial nations)

Helsinki Monitoring; the group

Military Advisory Group; the group

Standing (see Organization)

World Bank

group 2, II, A, etc.; but Group 2, when part of title: Group II: List of Counties by States

Guard, National (see National) guardsman (see Coast Guard; National Guard)

Gulf:

Coast States; but gulf coast

of Mexico; the gulf

States

Stream; the stream

 

H

Hall (U.S. Senate or House)

Halls of Congress

H-bomb; H-hour

Headquarters:

Alaskan Command; the command headquarters

4th Regiment Headquarters; regimental headquarters

32d Division Headquarters; the division headquarters

hearing examiner

Heaven (religious); heaven (place)

Heimlich maneuver

hell (place)

Hells (no apostrophe) Canyon

Hemisphere, Eastern; Western; etc.; the hemisphere

Hezbollah

High Church

High Commissioner

High Court (see Supreme Court)

high definition

High School, if part of name: Western; the high school

Highway No. 40; Route 40; State Route 9; the highway

Hill (the Capitol)

Hispanic

Holocaust, the (World War II); a holocaust

Holy Scriptures; Holy Writ (Bible)

home page

Hospice, if part of name

Hospital, if part of name; the hospital:

Howard University

St. Elizabeths (no apostrophe)

but naval (marine or Army) hospital

hospital corpsman (see corpsman)

House, if part of name:

Blair

Johnson house (private residence)

of Representatives; the House (U.S.)

Office Building (see Building)

Ohio (State); the house

but both Houses; lower (or upper) House (Congress)

House of Representatives (U.S.), titles of officers standing alone capitalized:

Chairman (Committee of the Whole)

Chaplain

Clerk; but legislative clerk, etc.

Doorkeeper

Official Reporter(s) of Debates

Parliamentarian

Postmaster

post office

Sergeant at Arms

Speaker pro tempore

Speaker; speakership

HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development)

Hudson's Bay Co.

Hurricane Andrew, Katrina, Rita, etc.

 

I

ice age (see Ages)

imam

Independent Party; an Independent

Indians:

Absentee Shawnee

Alaska (see Native)

Eastern (or Lower) Band of Cherokee; the band

Five Civilized Tribes; the tribes

Native Americans

Shawnee Tribe; the tribe

Six Nations (Iroquois Confederacy)

Initiative, Caribbean Basin; but strategic defense initiative

Inquisition, Spanish; the Inquisition

inspector general

Institute, if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to Federal or international organization:

National Cancer; the Cancer Institute; the Institute

National Institutes of Health; the Institutes

of International Law; the Institute

Woman's; the institute

Institution, if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to Federal unit:

Brookings; the institution

Carnegie; the institution

Smithsonian; the Institution

insular government; island government

intercoastal waterway (see waterway)

interdepartmental

interface

International Court of Justice; the Court

international:

banks (see Bank)

boundary

dateline

law

Morse code (see Code)

Internet, Intranet

Interstate 95; 1-95; the interstate

Intracoastal Waterway; the waterway (see also waterway)

intrastate

Irish potato

Iron Curtain; the curtain

Islam; Islamic

Isthmian Canal (see Canal)

Isthmus of Panama; the isthmus

 

J

Japan Current (see Current)

Java (computer language)

Jersey cattle

Job Corps

Joint Chiefs of Staff; Chiefs of Staff

Joint Committee on Printing (see Committee)

Journal clerk; the clerk

Journal (House or Senate)

Judge Advocate General, the

judge; chief judge; circuit judge; district judge; but Judge Judy

judiciary, the

Justice; Justice Stevens, etc.

 

K

kaffiyeh (Arabic headdress)

King of England, etc.; the King

Koran, the; Koranic

Krugerrand

 

L

Laboratory, if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to Federal unit: Forest Products; the Laboratory; but laboratory (non-Federal)

Lake: Erie, of the Woods, Great Salt; the lake

Lane, if part of name: Maiden; the lane

Latter-day Saints

law, copyright law; Ohm's, etc.

League, Urban; the league

Legion:

American; the Legion; a Legionnaire;

French Foreign; the legion

Legislative Assembly, if part of name: of New York; of Puerto Rico, etc.; the legislative assembly; the assembly

legislative branch, clerk, session, etc.

Legislature:

National Legislature (U.S. Congress); the Legislature

Ohio Legislature; Legislature of Ohio; the State legislature; the legislature

Letters Patent No. 378,964; but patent No. 378,964; letters patent

Liberal Party; a Liberal

Libertarian Party; a Libertarian

Liberty Bell; Liberty ship

Librarian of Congress; the Librarian

Library:

Army; the library

Harry S. Truman; the library

of Congress; the Library

Hillsborough Public; the library

Lieutenant Governor of Idaho, etc.; the Lieutenant Governor

Light, if part of name; the light:

Boston

Buffalo South Pier Light 2; but light No. 2; light 2

but Massachusetts Bay lights

Lighthouse (see Light Station)

Lightship, if part of name; the lightship:

Grays Reef

North Manitou Shoal

Light Station, if part of name; the light station; the station:

Minots Ledge

Watch Hill

Line(s), if part of name; the line(s):

Greyhound (bus)

Holland-America (steamship)

Maginot (fortification)

line:

Mason-Dixon line or Mason and Dixon's line

State

listserv

Local:

Columbia Typographical Union, Local 101

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 180; but local No. 180

local time, local standard time (see time)

locator service

Loop, the (see cities)

Louisiana Purchase

Low Church

Lower, if part of name:

California (Mexico)

Colorado River Basin

Egypt

Peninsula (of Michigan)

lower:

48 (States)

House of Congress

Mississippi

 

M

Madam:

Chair

Chairman

Chairwoman

Magna Carta

Majesty, His, Her, Your; Their Majesties

Majority Leader Reid; Majority Leader Hoyer; but the majority leader (U.S. Congress)

Mall, The National; The Mall (District of Columbia)

Mansion, Executive (see Executive)

map 3, A, II, etc.; but Map 2, when part of title: Map 2.—Railroads of Middle Atlantic States

mariculture

Marine Corps; the corps:

Marines (the corps); but marines (individuals)

Reserve; the Reserve

also a marine; a woman marine; the women marines (individuals); soldiers, sailors, coastguardsmen, and marines

Maritime Provinces (Canada) (see Province)

Marshal (see Supreme Court)

marshal (U.S.)

medals (see decorations)

Medicaid

MediCal

Medicare Act; Medicare plan

Medicare Plus

Medicare Program

Medigap

Member, if referring to Senator, Representative, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner of U.S. Congress; also Member at Large; Member of Parliament, etc.; but membership; member of U.S. congressional committee

Memorial:

Jefferson

Lincoln

Vietnam

WWII

Korean

Franklin D. Roosevelt etc.; the memorial

Merchant Marine Reserve; the Reserve; but U.S. merchant marine; the merchant marine

Metroliner

Metropolitan Washington, etc.; but Washington metropolitan area

midcontinent region

Middle Ages (see Ages)

Middle Atlantic States

Middle East; Mideast; Mideastern; Middle Eastern (Asia)

Midwest (section of United States);

Midwestern States; but midwestern farmers, etc.

Military Academy (see Academy)

Military Establishment (see Establishment)

milkshed, Ohio, etc. (region)

millennium

Minister Plenipotentiary; the Minister; Minister Without Portfolio (see also foreign cabinets)

Ministry (see foreign cabinets)

Minority Leader McConnell; Minority Leader Boehner; but the minority leader (U.S. Congress)

Mint, Philadelphia, etc.; the mint

minutemen (colonial)

missiles: capitalize such missile names as Hellfire, Sparrow, Tomahawk, Scud, Trident, etc.; but cruise missile, air-to-air missile, surface-to-air missile, etc.

Mission, if part of name; the mission:

Gospel

but diplomatic mission; military mission; Jones mission

Monument:

Bunker Hill; the monument

Grounds; the grounds (Washington Monument)

National (see National)

Washington; the monument (District of Columbia)

Mountain States

mountain time, mountain standard time (see time)

Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG)

Mr. Chairman; Mr. Secretary; etc.

Mujahedeen

mullah

Museum, capitalize with name; the museum:

Field

National

National Air and Space; the Air Museum

National Museum of the American Indian

 

N

Nation (synonym for United States); but a nation; nationwide; also French nation, Balkan nations

Nation, Creek; Osage; etc.; the nation

nation, in general, standing alone

National, in conjunction with capitalized name:

Academy of Sciences (see Academy) and State institutions, etc.

Archives and Records Administration

Capital (Washington); the Capital; but national capital area

Endowment for the Arts; the Endowment

Gallery of Art; the National Gallery; the gallery

Grange; the Grange

Guard, Ohio, etc.; Air National; the National Guard; the Guard; a guardsman; Reserve; but a National Guard man; National Guardsman

Institute (see Institute)

Legislature (see Legislature)

Muir Woods National Monument etc.; the national monument; the monument

Museum (see Museum)

Naval Medical Center (Bethesda, MD)

Park, Yellowstone, etc.; Yellowstone Park; the national park; the park

Treasury; the Treasury

War College

Woman's Party

Zoological Park (see Zoological)

national:

agency check (NAC)

anthem, customs, spirit, etc.

British, Mexican, etc.

defense agencies

stockpile

water policy

Native: Alaska; American; but Ohio native, etc. (see Alaska)

Naval, if part of name:

Academy (see Academy)

Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River; Pensacola; etc.

Base, Guam Naval; the naval base

Establishment (see Establishment)

Observatory (see Observatory)

Reserve; the Reserve; a reservist

Reserve Force; the force

Reserve officer; a Reserve officer

Shipyard (if preceding or following name): Brooklyn Naval Shipyard; Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn; but the naval shipyard

Volunteer Naval Reserve

War College; the War College; the college

naval, in general sense:

command (see Command)

expenditures, maneuvers, officer,

service, stores, etc.

petroleum reserves; but Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 2 (Buena

Vista Hills Naval Reserve); reserve No. 2

navel orange

Navy, American or foreign, if part of name; capitalized standing alone only if referring to U.S. Navy:

Admiral of the; the admiral

Battle Force; the Battle Force; the force

Establishment; the establishment

Hospital Corps; hospital corpsman; the corps

Regular

Seabees (construction battalion); a Seabee

navy yard

Nazi; nazism

Near East (Balkans, etc.)

Negro (see African-American; Black)

network

New Deal; anti-New Deal

New England States

New Federalism

New Frontier

New World; but new world order

North:

Atlantic

Atlantic States

Atlantic Treaty (see Treaty)

Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (see Organization)

Equatorial Current (see Current)

Korea

Pole

Slope (Alaska)

Star (Polaris)

the North (section of United States)

north:

Africa

Ohio, Virginia, etc.

north-central region, etc.

Northeast corridor

northern Ohio

Northern States

northerner

Northwest Pacific

Northwest Territory (1799)

Northwest, the (section of the United States)

Northwest Washington (see cities)

Northwestern:

States

United States

numbers capitalized if spelled out as part of a name:

Air Force One (Presidential plane)

Charles the First

Committee of One Hundred

Twenty-third Census (see Census)

 

O

Observatory, capitalized with name:

Astrophysical; the Observatory

Lick; the observatory (nongovernmental)

Naval; the Observatory

Occident, the; occidental

Ocean, if part of name; the ocean:

Antarctic

Arctic

Atlantic

North Atlantic, etc.

Pacific

South Pacific, etc.

Southwest Pacific, etc.

Oceanographer (the Hydrographer), Navy

Office, if referring to unit of Federal Government; the Office:

Executive

Foreign and Commonwealth (U.K.)

Government Printing; the Printing Office; the Office

Naval Oceanographic

of Chief of Naval Operations

of General Counsel

of Management and Budget

of Personnel Management

of the Secretary (Defense); Secretary's Office

Patent and Trademark

but New York regional office (including branch, division, or section therein); the regional office; the office

officer:

Army

Marine; font naval and marine officers

Navy; Navy and Marine officers

Regular Army; Regular; a Regular

Reserve

Old Dominion (Virginia)

Old South

Old World

Olympic Games; Olympiad; XXIX Olympic Games

ombudsman, Maryland (State)

online

Operation Iraqi Freedom, Desert Storm

Order of Business No. 56 (congressional calendar)

Ordnance:

Corps (see Corps)

Department; the Department

Organization, if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to international unit:

International Labour (ILO)

North Atlantic Treaty (NATO):

Chiefs of Staff

Committee of Defense Ministers

Council

Council of Foreign Ministers

Defense Committee

Military Committee

of American States (OAS)

Pact

Regional Planning Group; the Group

Standing Group; the Group

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization UNESCO)

Orient, the; oriental (see Asian)

Osama bin Laden

Outer Continental Shelf (see Continental)

 

P

Pacific (see also Atlantic):

Basin

coast

Coast (or slope) States

Northwest

rim

seaboard

slope

South

States

time, Pacific standard time (see time)

but cispacific; transpacific

pan-American games; but Pan American Day

Pan American Union (renamed; see Organization of American States)

Panel, the Federal Service Impasses (Federal), etc.; the Panel

Panhandle of Texas; Texas Panhandle; the panhandle; etc.

papers, Woodrow Wilson, etc.; the papers; but white paper

Parish, Caddo, etc.; but parish of Caddo (Louisiana civil division); the parish

Park, Fairmount, etc.; the park (see also National)

Park Police, U.S.; park policeman

Park, Zoological (see Zoological)

Parkway, George Washington Memorial; the memorial parkway; the parkway

Parliament, Houses of; the Parliament

Parliamentarian (U.S. Senate or House)

part 2, A, II, etc.; but Part 2, when part of title: Part 2: Iron and Steel Industry

Party, if part of name; the party

Pass, Brenner, capitalized if part of name; the pass

patent (see Letters Patent)

Peninsula Upper (Lower) (Michigan); the peninsula

Penitentiary, Atlanta, etc.; the penitentiary

petrodollar

phase 2; phase I

Philippines, Republic of the

Pilgrim Fathers (1620); the Pilgrims; a Pilgrim

Place, if part of name: Jefferson Place; the place

Plains (Great Plains), the

plan:

Colombo

controlled materials

5-year

Marshall (European Recovery Program)

Planetarium, Fels, Hayden; the planetarium

Plant, Picatinny Arsenal; the plant; but United States Steel plant

plate 2, A, II, etc.; but Plate 2, when part of title: Plate 2.—Rural Structures

Plaza, Union Station (Washington, DC); the plaza

Pledge of Allegiance; the pledge

Pole: North, South; the pole; subpolar

Pole Star (Polaris); polar star

Police, if part of name; the police:

Capitol

Park, U.S.

White House

political action committee (PAC)

political parties and adherents (see specific political party)

Pool, Northwest Power, etc.; the pool

Pope; but papal, patriarch, pontiff, primate

Port, if part of name; Port of Norfolk; Norfolk Port; the port (see Authority)

Post Office, Chicago, etc.; the post office

P.O. Box (with number); but post office box (in general sense)

Postmaster General

PostScript; but a postscript

Powers, if part of name; the powers (see also alliances):

Allied (World Wars I and II)

Axis (World War I)

Western

but European powers

precinct; first, 10th precinct

Premier (see foreign cabinets)

Preserve, Sullys Hill, National Game

Presidency (office of the head of Government)

President:

of the United States; the Executive; the Chief Magistrate; the Commander in Chief; the President-elect; exPresident; former President; also preceding name

of any other country; the President of Federal or international unit

but president of the Norfolk Southern Railroad; president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York

Presidential assistant, authority, order, proclamation, candidate, election, timber, year, etc.

Prime Minister (see foreign cabinets)

Prison, New Jersey State; the prison

Privy Council, Her Majesty's (see Council)

Prize, Nobel, Pulitzer, etc.; the prize

Proclamation, Emancipation; Presidential Proclamation No. 24; Proclamation No. 24; the proclamation; but Presidential proclamation

Program, if part of name:

European Recovery

Food for Peace

Fulbright

Head Start

Mutual Defense Assistance

Social Security

but universal military training; government bailout

Progressive Party; a Progressive

Project:

Gutenberg

Manhattan

Vote Smart

Proposition 13

Prosecutor; Special Prosecutor (Federal)

Province, Provincial, if referring to an administrative subdivision: Ontario Province; Province of Ontario; Maritime Provinces (Canada); the Province

Proving Ground, Aberdeen, etc.; the proving ground

Public Law; Public Law 110-161, etc.

Public Printer; the Government Printer; the Printer

public utility district (see District)

Pueblo, Santa Clara; the pueblo

Purchase, Gadsden, Louisiana, etc.

Puritan; puritanical

Pyrrhic victory

 

Q

Quad Cities (Davenport, Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, and Bettendorf)

query

queue

 

R

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Railroad, Alaska; the Railroad

Ranch, King, etc.; the ranch

Range, Cascade, etc. (mountains); the range

Rebellion, if part of name; the rebellion:

Boxer

Whisky

Reconstruction period (post-Civil War)

Red army

Red Cross, American (see American)

Reds, the; a Red (political)

Reformatory, Michigan; the reformatory

Refuge, Blackwater National Wildlife, etc.; Blackwater Refuge; the refuge

region, north-central, etc.; first region, 10th region; region 7; midcontinent

Regular Army, Navy; a Regular (see also officer)

regulation:

greenhouse gas

W (see also Federal Reserve Board)

but Veterans Entitlements Regulations

religious terms:

Baha'i

Baptist

Brahman

Buddhist

Catholic; Catholicism; but catholic (universal)

Christian

Christian Science

Evangelical United Brethren

Hindu; Hinduism

Islam; Islamic

Jewish

Latter-day Saints

Muslim: Shiite; Sikh; Sunni

New Thought

Protestant; Protestantism

Scientology

Seventh-day Adventists

Seventh-Day Baptists

Zoroastrian

Renaissance, the (era)

Report, if part of name (with date or number); the annual report; the report:

2007 Report of the Chief of the Forest Service

9/11 Commission Report

Annual Report of the Secretary of Defense for the year ended September 30, 2008

Grace Commission report

President's Economic Report; the Economic Report

Railroad Retirement Board Annual

Report, 2007; but annual report of the Railroad Retirement Board

Report No. 31

United States Reports (publication)

Reporter, the (U.S. Supreme Court)

Representative; Representative at Large (U.S. Congress); U.N.

Republic, capitalized if part of name; capitalized standing alone if referring to a specific government:

Czech

French

Irish

of Bosnia and Herzegovina

of Panama

of the Philippines

Slovak (Slovakia)

United States

also the American Republics; South American Republics; the Latin American Republics; the Republics

Republican Party; a Republican

Reservation (forest, military, or Indian), if part of name; the reservation:

Hill Military

Standing Rock

Reserve, if part of name; the Reserve (see also Air Force; Army Corps; Coast Guard; Foreign Service; Marine Corps; Merchant Marine; Naval; National Guard):

Active

Air Force

Army

bank (see Bank)

Board, Federal (see Federal)

city (see Bank)

components

Enlisted

Establishment

Inactive

Naval

officer

Officers' Training Corps

Ready

Retired

Standby

Strategic

Reserves, the; reservist

Resolution, with number; the resolution:

House Joint Resolution 3

Senate Concurrent Resolution 18

War Powers Resolution (short title)

but Tonkin resolution

Revised Statutes (U.S.); Supplement to the Revised Statutes; the statutes; Statutes at Large (U.S.)

Revolution, Revolutionary (if referring to the American, French, or English Revolution) (see also War)

rim; the Pacific rim

Road, if part of name: Benning; the road

Roman numerals, common nouns used with, not capitalized:

book II; chapter II; part II; etc.

but Book II: Modern Types (complete heading); Part XI: Early Thought (complete heading)

Route 66, State Route 9 (highways)

rule 21; rule XXI; but Rule 21, when part of title: Rule 21: Renewal of Motion

Rules:

of the House of Representatives; but rules of the House; House rule X

Standing Rules of the Senate (publication); but rules of the Senate

also Commission rules

 

S

Sabbath; Sabbath Day

savings bond (see bond)

schedule 2, A, II, etc.; but Schedule 2, when part of title; Schedule 2: Open and Prepay Stations

School, if part of name; the school:

any school of U.S. Armed Forces

Hayes

Pawnee Indian

Public School 13; PS. 13

school district (see District)

Scriptures; Holy Scriptures (the Bible)

Seabees (see Navy)

seaboard, Atlantic, eastern, etc.

seasons:

autumn (fall)

spring

summer

winter

seaway (see geographic terms; Authority; Corporation)

Second World War (see War)

Secretariat (see United Nations)

Secretaries of the Army and the Navy; but Secretaries of the military departments; secretaryship

Secretary, head of national governmental unit:

of Defense; of State; etc.; the Secretary

of State for Foreign Affairs (British); for the Commonwealth, etc.; the Secretary

of the Smithsonian Institution; the Secretary

also the Assistant Secretary; the Executive Secretary

Secretary General; the Secretary General:

Organization of American States

United Nations

section 2, A, II, etc.; but Section 2, when part of title: Section 2: Test Construction Theory

Selective Service (see Service; System)

Senate (U.S.), titles of officers standing alone capitalized:

Chaplain

Chief Clerk

Doorkeeper

Official Reporter(s)

Parliamentarian

Postmaster

President of the

President pro tempore

Presiding Officer

Secretary

Sergeant at Arms

Senate, Ohio (State); the senate

Senator (U.S. Congress); but lowercased if referring to a State senator, unless preceding a name

senatorial

Sergeant at Arms (U.S. Senate or House)

Sermon on the Mount

server

Service, if referring to Federal unit; the Service:

Extension

Federal Mediation and Conciliation

Fish and Wildlife

Foreign (see Foreign Service)

Forest

Internal Revenue

Marshals

National Park

Natural Resources Conservation

Postal

Secret (Homeland Security)

Selective (see also System); but selective service, in general sense; selective service classification 1-A, 4-F, etc.

Senior Executive

service:

airmail

Army

city delivery

consular

customs

diplomatic

employment (State)

extension (State)

general delivery

naval

Navy

parcel post

postal field

rural free delivery; rural delivery; free delivery

special delivery

star route

Shelf, Continental (see Continental)

ship of state (unless personified)

Sister(s) (adherent of religious order)

Six Nations (see Indians)

Smithsonian Institution (see Institution)

Social Security Administration (U.S.),

application, check, number, pension,

trust fund, system, etc.

Socialist Party; a Socialist

Society, if part of name; the society:

American Cancer Society, Inc.

of the Cincinnati

soil bank

soil orders:

Alfisols

Andisols

Aridisols

Entisols

Gelisols

Histosols

Inceptisols

Mollisols

Oxisols

Spodosols

Ultisols

Vertisols

Soldiers' Home; the soldiers' home; (see Armed Forces Retirement Home)

Solicitor for the Department of Labor, etc.; the Solicitor

Solicitor General (Department of Justice)

Son of Man (Christ)

Sons of the American Revolution (organization); a Son; a Real Son

South:

American Republics (see Republic)

American States

Atlantic

Atlantic States

Deep South (U.S.)

Korea

Midsouth (U.S.)

Pacific

Pole

the South (section of United States); Southland

Southeast Asia

southern California, southeastern California, etc.

Southern States

Southern United States

southerner

Southwest, the (section of United States)

space shuttle; the shuttle

space station

Spanish-American War (see War)

Speaker of the House of Representatives; the Speaker

special agent

specialist

Special Order No. 12; Special Orders, No. 12; a special order

Spirit of '76 (painting); but spirit of '76 (in general sense)

Sputnik

Square, Lafayette, etc.; the square

Staff, Foreign Service (see Foreign Service); Air (U.K.)

standard time (see time)

Star of Bethlehem

Star-Spangled Banner (see flag)

State:

Champion

government

legislature (see Legislature)

line, Iowa; Ohio-Indiana, etc.

New York

of Israel

of Maryland

of the Union Message/Address

of Veracruz

out-of-State (adjective); but out-of-stater

prison

Vatican City

state:

church and

of the art: state-of-the-art technology

welfare

also downstate, instate, multistate, statehood, statehouse, stateside, statewide, substate, tristate, upstate

State's attorney

state's evidence

states' rights

States:

Arab

Balkan

Baltic

East North Central

East South Central

Eastern; font eastern industrial States

Eastern Gulf

Eastern North Central, etc.

Far Western

Gulf; Gulf Coast

Lake

Latin American

lower 48

Middle

Middle Atlantic

Middle Western

Midwestern

Mountain

New England

North Atlantic

Northwestern, etc.

Organization of American

Pacific

Pacific Coast

rights

South American

South Atlantic

Southern

the six States of Australia; a foreign state

Thirteen Original; original 13 States

Western; but western Gulf; western farming States

Station, if part of name; the station; not capitalized if referring to surveying or similar work:

Air Force base

Grand Central

Naval Air Engineering

television station WSYR-TV

Union; Union Depot; the depot

WAMU station; station WMAL; radio station WSM; broadcasting station WJSV

station 9; substation A

Statue of Liberty; the statue

Statutes at Large (U.S.) (see also Revised Statutes)

Stealth: bomber, fighter

Stockpile, Strategic National

stone age (see Ages)

storage facility

Stream, Gulf (see Gulf; geographic terms)

Street, if part of name; the street:

I Street (not Eye Street)

110th Street

U Street (not You Street)

subcommittee (see Committee)

subtropical, subtropic(s) (see tropical)

summit meeting; Earth summit

Sun; a sun

Super Bowl

Superfund; the fund

Superintendent, if referring to head of Federal unit; the Superintendent:

of Documents (Government Printing Office)

of the Naval (or Military) Academy

Supplement to the Revised Statutes (see Revised Statutes)

Supreme Bench; the Bench; also High Bench; High Tribunal

Supreme Court (U.S.); the Court; also High Court; titles of officers standing alone capitalized:

Associate Justice

Chief Justice

Clerk

Marshal

Reporter

but Ohio Supreme Court; the supreme court

Surgeon General, the (Air Force, Army, Navy, and Public Health Service)

Survey, if part of name of Federal unit; the Survey: Geodetic; Geological

System, if referring to Federal unit; the System:

Federal Home Loan Bank; the System

Federal Reserve; the System

National Forest; the System

National Highway; Interstate Highway; the System

National Park; the System

National Trails; the System

National Wild and Scenic Rivers; the System

Regional Metro System; Metro system

Selective Service (see also Service)

State and National forests

but Amtrak railway system; Amtrak system; the system

also Federal land bank system

 

T

table 2, II, A, etc.; but Table 2, when part of title: Table 2: Degrees of Land Deterioration

task force (see Force)

Team, USAREUR Technical Assistance, etc.; the team

television station (see Station)

Telnet

Ten Commandments

Territorial, if referring to a political subdivision

Territory:

Northwest (1799); the territory

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; Pacific Islands Trust Territory; the trust territory; the territory

Yukon, Northwest Territories; the Territory(ies), Territorial (Canada)

but territory of: American Samoa, Guam, Virgin Islands

The, part of name, capitalized:

The Dalles; The Gambia; The Hague; The Weirs; but the Dalles Dam; the Dalles region; the Federal Bulletin Board; the Hague Conference; the Weirs streets

but the Adjutant General; the National Archives; the Archives; the Times; the Mermaid; the Federal Express

Third World

Thirteen American Colonies, etc. (see Colonies)

Thirteen Original States

Thruway, New York State; the thruway

time:

Alaska, Alaska standard

Atlantic, Atlantic standard

central, central standard

eastern, eastern daylight, eastern daylight saving (no s), eastern standard

Greenwich mean time (GMT)

Hawaii-Aleutian standard

local, local standard

mountain, mountain standard

Pacific, Pacific standard

universal

title 2, II, A, etc.; but Title 2, when part of title: Title 2: General Provisions

Tomb:

Grant's; the tomb

of the Unknowns; of the Unknown Soldier; Unknown Soldier's Tomb; the tomb (see also Unknown Soldier)

Tower, Eiffel, etc.; the tower

Township, Union; township of Union

trade names and trademarks:

Blu-Ray

Coca-Cola

Dr Pepper

Hersheypark

iPod

iTunes

MasterCard

TiVo

U-Haul

UNIX

VISA

WebTV

Yahoo!

ZIP Code (Postal)

Trade Representative (U.S.)

transatlantic; transpacific; trans-Siberian, etc.; but Transjordan; Trans-Alaska

Treasurer, Assistant, of the United States; the Assistant Treasurer; but assistant treasurer at New York, etc.

Treasurer of the United States; the Treasurer

Treasury notes; Treasurys

Treasury, of the United States; General; National; Public

Treaty, if part of name; the treaty:

Jay Treaty

North Atlantic; North Atlantic Defense

of Versailles

but treaty of 1919

triad

tribe (see Indians)

Tribunal, standing alone capitalized only in minutes and official reports of a specific arbitration; also High Tribunal; the Tribunal (Supreme Court)

Tropic of Cancer, of Capricorn; the Tropics

tropical; neotropic, neotropical, subtropic(s), subtropical

Trust, Power, etc.

trust territory (see Territory)

Tunnel, Lincoln, etc.; the tunnel; but irrigation, railroad, etc., tunnel

Turnpike, Pennsylvania, etc.; the turnpike

Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul)

 

U

U-boat

Under Secretary, if referring to officer of Federal Government; the Under Secretary:

of Agriculture

of State

of the Treasury

Uniform Code of Military Justice (see Code)

Union (if part of proper name; capitalized standing alone if synonym for United States or if referring to international unit):

Columbia Typographical

European

Pan American (former name; see Organization of American States)

Station; font union passenger station; union freight station

Teamsters Union; the Teamsters; the union; also the Auto Workers, etc.

Universal Postal; the Postal Union

Western (see alliances)

Woman's Christian Temperance

but a painters union; printers union

United Nations:

Charter; the charter

Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (see Organization)

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

General Assembly; the Assembly

International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

International Court of Justice; the Court

Permanent Court of Arbitration (see Court)

Secretariat, the

Secretary General

Security Council; the Council

World Employment Conference

World Health Organization (WHO); the Organization

universal:

military training (see Program)

time (see time)

University, if part of name: Stanford; the university

Unknown Soldier; Unknown of World War II; World War II Unknown; Unknown of Korea; Korea Unknown; the Unknowns (see also Tomb)

Upper, if part of name:

Colorado River Basin

Egypt

Peninsula (of Michigan)

but upper House of Congress

U.S.S.R. (former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)

 

V

Valley, Shenandoah, etc.; the valley; but the valleys of Virginia and Maryland

V-E Day; V-J Day; V-chip

veteran, World War II; Vietnam

Veterans Affairs, Department of (see Department)

Vice Chairman, etc. (same as Chairman)

vice consul, British, etc.

Vice President (same as President)

Voice of America; the Voice

volume 2, A, II, etc.; but Volume 2, when part of title; Volume 2: Five Rivers in America's Future

 

W

War, if part of formal name:

Between the States

Civil

First World War; World War I; World War; Great War; Second World War; World War II

for Independence (1776)

French and Indian (1754-63)

Mexican

of 1812

of the Rebellion; the rebellion

on Crime

on Drugs

on Poverty

on Terrorism, Global

Revolutionary; of the Revolution; the Revolution

Seven Years'

Six-Day (Arab-Israeli)

Spanish-American

the two World Wars

also post-World War II

war, descriptive or undeclared:

cold, hot

European

French and Indian wars

Indian

Korean

Persian Gulf; gulf

third world; world war III

Vietnam

with Mexico

War College, National (see College)

War Mothers (see American)

ward 1, 2, etc.; first, 11th, etc.

Washington's Farewell Address

water district (see District)

waterway, inland, intercoastal, etc.; but Intracoastal Waterway

Web:

page

site

Week, Fire Prevention; etc.

welfare state

West:

Bank (Jordan)

Coast (Africa); but west coast (U.S.)

End, etc. (section of city)

Europe (political entity)

Far West; Far Western States

Florida (1763-1819)

Middle (United States); Midwest

South Central States, etc.

the West (section of United States; also world political entity)

west, western Pennsylvania

Western:

bloc

civilization

countries

Europe(an) (political entity)

Hemisphere; the hemisphere

ideas

Powers

States

United States

World

but far western; western farming States (U.S.)

westerner

Whip, Majority; Minority

Whisky Rebellion (see Rebellion)

White (see Caucasian)

White House:

Blue Room

East Room

Oval Office

Police (see Police)

Red Room

Rose Garden

State Dining Room

white paper, British, etc.

Wilderness, capitalized with name; San Joaquin Wilderness, CA; the wilderness; but the Wilderness (Virginia battlefield)

Wood, if part of name:

Belleau

County

Fort Leonard

World: New, Old, Third; but free world

World Bank; the Bank

World Series

World War (see War)

World War II veteran

World Wide Web (WWW), the Web

 

X

x ray (note: no hyphen)

 

Y

year, calendar, fiscal

Your Excellency; Your Honor; Your Majesty; etc.

Youth Corps; the Corps

 

Z

ZIP Code number; ZIP+4

Z39.50

Zone, if part of name; the zone:

British (in Germany)

Canal (Panama)

Eastern, Western (Germany)

Frigid

Hot (infectious area)

of Interior (see Command)

Temperate, Torrid; the zone

U.S. Foreign Trade; Foreign Trade Zone; but the foreign trade zone, free trade zone

zone:

Arctic

eastern standard time

no-fly

polar

tropical

Zoological Park (National); the zoo; the park

————————

1. The colon is preferred; a dash is permissible; but a comma is too weak.
2. List compiled with cooperation of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.