In old English law, a capite (from Latin caput, head) was a tenure in subinfeudation, by which either person or land was held immediately of the king, or of his crown, either by knight-service or socage.
ɪn ˈoʊld ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ lˈɔː, ɐ kˈæpaɪt fɹʌm lˈætɪn kˈæpʊt, hˈɛd wʌzɐ tˈɛnjɚɹ ɪn sˌʌbɪnfjuːdˈeɪʃən, baɪ wˌɪtʃ ˈiːðɚ pˈɜːsən ɔːɹ lˈænd wʌz hˈɛld ɪmˈiːdɪətli ʌvðə kˈɪŋ, ɔːɹ ʌv hɪz kɹˈaʊn, ˈiːðɚ baɪ nˈaɪtsˈɜːvɪs ɔːɹ sˈɑːkeɪdʒ.