principal

[ prin-suh-puhl ]

/ ˈprɪn sə pəl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR principal ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

first or highest in rank, importance, value, etc.; chief; foremost.

of, of the nature of, or constituting principal or capital: a principal investment.

Geometry. (of an axis of a conic) passing through the foci.

noun

a chief or head.

the head or director of a school or, especially in England, a college.

a person who takes a leading part in any activity, as a play; chief actor or doer.

the first player of a division of instruments in an orchestra (excepting the leader of the first violins).

something of principal or chief importance.

Law.

a person who authorizes another, as an agent, to represent him or her.
a person directly responsible for a crime, either as an actual perpetrator or as an abettor present at its commission.Compare accessory(def 3).

a person primarily liable for an obligation, in contrast with an endorser, or the like.

the main body of an estate, or the like, as distinguished from income.

Finance. a capital sum, as distinguished from interest or profit.

Music.

an organ stop.
the subject of a fugue.

(in a framed structure) a member, as a truss, upon which adjacent or similar members depend for support or reinforcement.

each of the combatants in a duel, as distinguished from the seconds.

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A high-school principal may not be a very glamorous profession, but this woman recognized it as a chance to influence the young minds of the next generation.

Origin of principal

1250–1300; Middle English < Latin prīncipālis first, chief, equivalent to prīncip- (see prince) + -ālis -al¹

SYNONYMS FOR principal

1 prime, paramount, leading, main, cardinal, preeminent.

4 leader.

5 headmaster, dean, master.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR principal ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR principal

1 secondary, ancillary.

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synonym study for principal

1. See capital¹.

usage note for principal

The noun principle and the noun and adjective principal are often confused. Although pronounced alike, the words are not interchangeable in writing. A principle is broadly “a rule of action or conduct” ( His overriding principle is greed ) or “a fundamental doctrine or tenet” ( Their principles do not permit the use of alcoholic beverages ). The adjective principal has the general sense “chief, first, foremost”: My principal objection is the cost of the project. The noun principal has among other meanings “the head or director of a school” ( The faculty supported the principal in her negotiations with the board ) and “a capital sum, as distinguished from interest or profit” ( The monthly payments go mostly for interest, leaving the principal practically untouched ).

OTHER WORDS FROM principal

prin·ci·pal·ship, noun un·der·prin·ci·pal, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH principal

principal principle (see usage note at the current entry)

Words nearby principal

princess post, princess regent, princess royal, princess tree, princeton, principal, principal argument, principal artery of thumb, principal axis, principal boy, principal clause

Example sentences from the Web for principal

The leak suggests that Mr. Obama remains blind to the principal cause of his foreign policy woes.

Before Ditching His Top Aides, Obama Should Look in the Mirror |Leslie H. Gelb |November 2, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
But younger members of the community who encountered the man as a principal had a different tale to tell.

This 'Holy Guy'—and Grandfather of 100—Is Accused of Sexually Abusing a Student |Batya Ungar-Sargon |September 9, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He recalled one event, when he was playing with a friend, Areah, when the principal came outside and found them.

This 'Holy Guy'—and Grandfather of 100—Is Accused of Sexually Abusing a Student |Batya Ungar-Sargon |September 9, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
In an ultra-Orthodox enclave of upstate New York, a former student has accused a principal of sex acts.

This 'Holy Guy'—and Grandfather of 100—Is Accused of Sexually Abusing a Student |Batya Ungar-Sargon |September 9, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

While abuse of a sexual nature is new for the principal, accusations of physical abuse have long dogged the school.

This 'Holy Guy'—and Grandfather of 100—Is Accused of Sexually Abusing a Student |Batya Ungar-Sargon |September 9, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The African Christians soon formed one of the principal members of the primitive church.

The History of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire |Edward Gibbon
The man lived, and his descendants are among the principal inhabitants of the town of Stratton to this day.

Footprints of Former Men in Far Cornwall |Robert S. Hawker
“On deck, sir,” replied the big boatswain, touching his cap to the principal.

Up The Baltic |Oliver Optic
He passed by the north lodge with a shudder, and walked straight along the high road towards the principal entrance of the Park.

Aurora Floyd, Vol. III (of 3) |M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon
The principal work is his series of Lectures in the Royal Academy, twelve in number, commenced in 1801.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 3 |Various

British Dictionary definitions for principal

principal

/ (ˈprɪnsɪpəl) /

adjective (prenominal)

first in importance, rank, value, etc; chief

denoting or relating to capital or property as opposed to interest, etc

noun

a person who is first in importance or directs some event, action, organization, etc

(in Britain) a civil servant of an executive grade who is in charge of a section

law

a person who engages another to act as his agent
an active participant in a crime
the person primarily liable to fulfil an obligation

the head of a school or other educational institution

(in Scottish schools) a head of department

finance

capital or property, as contrasted with the income derived from it
the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated

a main roof truss or rafter

music

the chief instrumentalist in a section of the orchestra
one of the singers in an opera company
either of two types of open diapason organ stops, one of four-foot length and pitch and the other of eight-foot length and pitch

the leading performer in a play

Derived forms of principal

principalship, noun

Word Origin for principal

C13: via Old French from Latin principālis chief, from princeps chief man, prince

undefined principal

See principle

Cultural definitions for principal

principal

The original amount of money lent, not including profits and interest.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

principal

adjective

noun

VIDEO FOR PRINCIPAL

WATCH NOW: Words Of A High School Principal

Origin of principal

SYNONYMS FOR principal

ANTONYMS FOR principal

synonym study for principal

usage note for principal

OTHER WORDS FROM principal

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH principal

Words nearby principal

Example sentences from the Web for principal

British Dictionary definitions for principal

adjective (prenominal)

noun

Derived forms of principal

Word Origin for principal

undefined principal

Cultural definitions for principal

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

principal

adjective

noun

VIDEO FOR PRINCIPAL

WATCH NOW: Words Of A High School Principal

Origin of principal

SYNONYMS FOR principal

ANTONYMS FOR principal

synonym study for principal

usage note for principal

OTHER WORDS FROM principal

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH principal

Words nearby principal

Content related to principal

Words related to principal

Example sentences from the Web for principal

British Dictionary definitions for principal

adjective (prenominal)

noun

Derived forms of principal

Word Origin for principal

undefined principal

Cultural definitions for principal