principal

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principal

main; foremost; the person in charge: the school principal; a capital sum (of money)

Not to be confused with:

principle – essential quality; law; moral rule: true to her principles; doctrine: the principle of the matter

prin·ci·pal

(prĭn′sə-pəl)

adj.

1. First or highest in rank or importance. See Synonyms at chief.

2. Of, relating to, or being financial principal, or a principal in a financial transaction.

a. One who holds a position of presiding rank, especially the head of an elementary school, middle school, or high school.

b. A main participant in a situation, especially a financial transaction.

c. A person having a leading or starring role in a performance, such as the first player in a section of an orchestra.

a. An amount of capital originally borrowed or invested, as opposed to the interest paid or accruing on it.

b. The most significant part of an estate, as opposed to minor or incidental components.

3. Law

a. The person on behalf of whom an agent acts.

b. The person having prime responsibility for an obligation as distinguished from one who acts as surety or as an endorser.

c. The main actor in the perpetration of a crime.

4. Architecture Either of a pair of inclined timbers forming the sides of a triangular truss for a pitched roof.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin prīncipālis, from prīnceps, prīncip-, leader, emperor; see per in Indo-European roots.]

prin′ci·pal·ly adv.

prin′ci·pal·ship′ n.

Usage Note: Principal and principle are often confused but have no meanings in common. Principle is only a noun and usually refers to a rule or standard. Principal is both a noun and an adjective. As a noun, it has specialized meanings in law and finance, but in general usage it refers to a person who holds a high position or plays an important role: a meeting among all the principals in the transaction. As an adjective it has the sense of "chief" or "leading": The coach's principal concern is the quarterback's health.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

principal

(ˈprɪnsɪpəl)

adj (prenominal)

1. first in importance, rank, value, etc; chief

2. (Banking & Finance) denoting or relating to capital or property as opposed to interest, etc

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

4. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (in Britain) a civil servant of an executive grade who is in charge of a section

5. (Law) law

a. a person who engages another to act as his agent

b. an active participant in a crime

c. the person primarily liable to fulfil an obligation

6. (Education) the head of a school or other educational institution

7. (Education) (in Scottish schools) a head of department

8. (Banking & Finance) finance

a. capital or property, as contrasted with the income derived from it

b. the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated

9. (Building) a main roof truss or rafter

10. (Music, other) music

a. the chief instrumentalist in a section of the orchestra

b. one of the singers in an opera company

c. 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

11. (Theatre) the leading performer in a play

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

ˈprincipalship n

Usage: See at principle

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

prin•ci•pal

(ˈprɪn sə pəl)

adj.

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

2. of or constituting principal or capital: a principal investment.

3. a chief or head.

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

5. a chief actor or performer.

6. a matter of the greatest importance.

7. Law.

a. a person who authorizes another to act for him or her.

b. a person who commits a crime or is present and acts as an abettor.

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

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

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

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

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

prin′ci•pal•ly, adv.

prin′ci•pal•ship`, n.

syn: See capital¹.

usage: Although pronounced alike, principle and principal are not interchangeable in writing. A principle is broadly “a rule of action or conduct” or “a fundamental doctrine or tenet.” The adjective principal has the general sense “chief, first, foremost.” The noun principal has among other meanings “the head or director of a school” and “a capital sum, as distinguished from interest or profit.”

headmaster

– principal

In Britain, the teacher in charge of a school is called the headmaster or headmistress. In America, these terms refer only to teachers in charge of private schools. The teacher in charge of any other kind of school is called the principal.

In Britain, the person in charge of a college is often called a principal. In the United States, the person in charge of a college is usually called a president.

Dr Susan Danby, Principal of the College of the Royal Academy of Dancing, 1979-99.

...a high-profile team of business people and educators, including former Yale president Benno Schmidt.

principal

– principle

1. 'principal'

Principal can be an adjective or a noun.

The principal thing or person in a group is the most important one.

His principal interest in life was money.

The principal character in the film was played by John Hurt.

The principal of a school or college is the person in charge of it.

The teacher sent me to the principal's office.

Lodge was Principal of Birmingham University.

See headmaster - principal

2. 'principle'

Principle is always a noun. A principle is a general rule that someone's behaviour or ideas are based on.

She did not eat meat because it was against her principles.

We follow the principle that everyone should be treated equally.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

principal

A person who is in charge of a school or other educational institution.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	principal - the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated debt - money or goods or services owed by one person to another loan - the temporary provision of money (usually at interest)
	2.	principal - the educator who has executive authority for a school; "she sent unruly pupils to see the principal" head teacher, school principal, head chancellor - the honorary or titular head of a university educator, pedagog, pedagogue - someone who educates young people headmaster, schoolmaster, master - presiding officer of a school headmistress - a woman headmaster
	3.	principal - an actor who plays a principal role star, lead actor, histrion, thespian, role player, player - a theatrical performer co-star - one of two actors who are given equal status as stars in a play or film film star, movie star - a star who plays leading roles in the cinema matinee idol, idol - someone who is adored blindly and excessively television star, TV star - a star in a television show
	4.	principal - capital as contrasted with the income derived from it corpus, principal sum capital - wealth in the form of money or property owned by a person or business and human resources of economic value
	5.	principal - (criminal law) any person involved in a criminal offense, regardless of whether the person profits from such involvement criminal law - the body of law dealing with crimes and their punishment offender, wrongdoer - a person who transgresses moral or civil law criminal, crook, felon, malefactor, outlaw - someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime
	6.	principal - the major party to a financial transaction at a stock exchange; buys and sells for his own account dealer broker-dealer - a financial specialist who trades for his own account and so acts both as a broker and principal financier, moneyman - a person skilled in large scale financial transactions
Adj.	1.	principal - most important element; "the chief aim of living"; "the main doors were of solid glass"; "the principal rivers of America"; "the principal example"; "policemen were primary targets"; "the master bedroom"; "a master switch" chief, main, master, primary important, of import - of great significance or value; "important people"; "the important questions of the day"

principal

adjective

1. main, leading, chief, prime, first, highest, controlling, strongest, capital, key, essential, primary, most important, dominant, arch, cardinal, paramount, foremost, pre-eminent their principal concern is that of winning the next election
main minor, subsidiary, subordinate, inferior, supplementary, auxiliary

noun

1. headmaster or headmistress, head (informal), director, dean, head teacher, rector, master or mistress the principal of the local high school

2. boss, head, leader, director, chief (informal), master, ruler, superintendent, baas (S. African) the principal of the company

3. star, lead, leader, prima ballerina, first violin, leading man or lady, coryphée soloists and principals of The Scottish Ballet orchestra

4. capital, money, assets, working capital, capital funds Use the higher premiums to pay the interest and principal on the debt. see principle

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

principal

adjective

1. Most important, influential, or significant:

capital, cardinal, chief, first, foremost, key, leading, main, major, number one, paramount, premier, primary, prime, top.

2. Having or exercising authority:

chief, head.

noun

The main performer in a theatrical production:

lead, protagonist, star.

Translations

أَسَاسِيّالمُمَثِّل او الرّاقِص الرَّئيسيرَئِيسرَئيسيمَبلَغ المال في المَصرِف

hlavníředitelrektortanečníkvedoucí

forstanderhoved-hovedkrafthovedstolinspektør

hauptsächlich Direktor grundsätzlich Hauptperson Kapital

διευθυντής σχολείου επικεφαλής κυριότερος

principal director director del colegio jefe rector

rehtoritärkeinpää-

principal directeur capitalchef d’établissement

glavnipoglavarravnateljravnatelj škole

főfõszereplõ

aîalleikarihöfuîstóllmegin-skólastjóri

principale preside primattore capitale capo

主な校長長

교장우두머리주된

pagrindinė sumapagrindinio vaidmens atlikėjas

direktorsgalvenaispamatkapitālsrektorssvarīgākais

voornaamste directeur hoofd schoolhoofd

hovedrolleinnehaver rektor sjef viktigst

dyrektor szkoły główny szef zwierzchnik

principal director diretor diretor de colégio

principal

главный директор директор школы

hlavný herecistina

glavenpredstojnik

chefhuvud-rektor

ครูใหญ่ที่เป็นหลักปฏิบัติ

müdür temelana parabaşbaş oyuncu

chínhhiệu trưởngngười đứng đầu

校长资本首脑中小学校长主要演员

principal

[ˈprɪnsɪpəl]

A. ADJ

1. [reason, cause, source] → principal
our principal concern is the well-being of our children → nuestra mayor or principal preocupación es el bienestar de nuestros hijos

2. (Mus) → primero

3. (Fin) principal amount → capital m principal, principal m

B. N

1. [of school, college] → director(a) m/f (Univ) → rector(a) m/f

2. (Theat) → protagonista mf principal

3. (Mus) → primer(a) instrumentista mf

4. (Fin) → capital m, principal m
principal and interest → el principal y los intereses

C. CPD principal boy N (Brit) (Theat) → joven héroe m (papel de actriz en la "pantomime" navideña)

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

principal

[ˈprɪnsɪp^əl]

adj (= main) → principal(e) often before n

(= headmaster) → directeur/trice m/f, principal(e) m/f

(in play) → rôle principal

(= money) → principal m

principal

adj → Haupt-, hauptsächlich; the principal cities of China → die wichtigsten Städte Chinas; my principal concern → mein Hauptanliegen nt; principal person → Hauptperson f; principal teacher → Rektor(in) m(f); principal horn in the Philharmonic Orchestra → erster Hornist/erste Hornistin der Philharmoniker

(of school, college) → Rektor(in) m(f); (in play) → Hauptperson f; (in duel) → Duellant m

(Fin, of investment) → Kapitalsumme f; (of debt) → Kreditsumme f

(esp Jur: = client) → Klient(in) m(f), → Mandant(in) m(f)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

principal

[ˈprɪnsɪp/əl]

1. adj → principale
the principal violin → il primo violino

2. n

a. (of school, college) → preside m/f; (in play) → protagonista m/f; (in orchestra) → primo/a strumentista m/f

b. (Fin) → capitale m

principal

(ˈprinsəpəl) adjective

most important. Shipbuilding was one of Britain's principal industries.

noun

1. the head of a school, college or university.

2. a leading actor, singer or dancer in a theatrical production.

3. the amount of money in a bank etc on which interest is paid.

ˈprincipally adverb

mostly; chiefly. I am principally concerned with teaching English.

the principal (not principle) dancer.
principal (not principle) of the college.

principal

→ أَسَاسِيّ, رَئِيس, مُدِيرُ مَدْرَسَة hlavní, ředitel, rektor, vedoucí forstander, leder, skoleinspektør, vigtigst hauptsächlich, Leiter, Schulleiter διευθυντής σχολείου, επικεφαλής, κυριότερος director, director del colegio, jefe, principal rehtori, tärkein chef d’établissement, directeur, principal glavni, poglavar, ravnatelj, ravnatelj škole capo, direttore, preside, principale 主な, 校長, 長 교장, 우두머리, 주된 directeur, hoofd, schoolhoofd, voornaamste rektor, sjef, viktigst dyrektor szkoły, główny, szef, zwierzchnik director, diretor, diretor de colégio, principal главный, директор, директор школы chef, huvud-, rektor ครูใหญ่, ที่เป็นหลักปฏิบัติ baş, başöğretmen, müdür chính, hiệu trưởng, người đứng đầu 中小学校长, 主要的, 校长, 首脑

principal

a. principal, más importante.

References in classic literature ?

My principal said he was not feeling well, and would leave that and the other details of the proposed meeting to me.

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One of the principal objections inculcated by the more respectable adversaries to the Constitution, is its supposed violation of the political maxim, that the legislative, executive, and judiciary departments ought to be separate and distinct.

View in context

The Principal and instrument soon drove off together to a stable-yard in High Holborn, where a remarkably fine grey gelding, worth, at the lowest figure, seventy-five guineas (not taking into account the value of the shot he had been made to swallow for the improvement of his form), was to be parted with for a twenty-pound note, in consequence of his having run away last week with Mrs Captain Barbary of Cheltenham, who wasn't up to a horse of his courage, and who, in mere spite, insisted on selling him for that ridiculous sum: or, in other words, on giving him away.

View in context

If you are unable to make up your quantum, my boy, you had better address yourself to a principal; there are plenty of principals in the profession, you know, and what is not worth the while of one, may be worth the while of another; that's my recommendation to you, speaking as a subordinate.

View in context

Blifil, in whom there was little sign of life, was at first the principal object of the concern of every one, and particularly of Mrs Western, who had drawn from her pocket a bottle of hartshorn, and was herself about to apply it to his nostrils, when on a sudden the attention of the whole company was diverted from poor Blifil, whose spirit, if it had any such design, might have now taken an opportunity of stealing off to the other world, without any ceremony.

View in context

His opponent was the son of his principal warder, and was so imprudent as to give the challenge to this barter of buffets.

View in context

A BIG Nation having a quarrel with a Little Nation, resolved to terrify its antagonist by a grand naval demonstration in the latter's principal port.

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The principal aim of his journey was to reconnoitre Lake Tchad, from which he was still three hundred and fifty miles distant.

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This center, formed of indefinite molecules, began to revolve around its own axis during its gradual condensation; then, following the immutable laws of mechanics, in proportion as its bulk diminished by condensation, its rotary motion became accelerated, and these two effects continuing, the result was the formation of one principal star, the center of the nebulous mass.

View in context

Many are the examples of the great odds, between number and courage; so that a man may truly make a judgment, that the principal point of greatness in any state, is to have a race of military men.

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As I topped the lofty plateau in whose rocky cliffs the principal tribe of Sarians find their cave-homes, a great hue and cry arose from those who first discovered me.

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My friend Reldresal, principal secretary for private affairs, is, in my opinion, if I am not partial, the second after the treasurer; the rest of the great officers are much upon a par.

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