A loaded term that is sometimes used in sharply different ways. A "capitalist" is an owner of capital goods -- or, a "capitalist" is a member of the class of bosses who extort surplus value from labor -- or, a "capitalist" is a believer in the benefits of a free market. Sometimes context makes the meaning clear; sometimes it doesn't. The best way to avoid confusion is to remember, in any case, the proper definition of capital as an economic factor.