Dictionary

principal en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• [ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pɫ̩] (Australia, Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• (Australia) audio
• /ˈpɹɪn.sə.pəl/ (Australia, Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pəl/ (Australia, Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈpɹɪn.sə.pɫ̩] (Australia, Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English principal, from Old French principal, from Latin prīncipālis.

Meanings

1. Primary; most important; first level in importance.
   • I understand that feeling. Through 20 years in the industry, I've stayed on the staff engineer's path, and I'm now a senior principal engineer, parallel to a senior director on my company's career ladder. 2022, Tanya Reilly, The Staff Engineer's Path, O'Reilly, →ISBN:
   • In theory, there are the same number of principal components as there are variables, but in practice, usually only a few of the principal components need to be identified to account for most of the data variance. 2005, Ruth N. Collins, “Application of Phylogenetic Algorithms to Assess Rab Functional Relationships”, in Sidney P. Colowick, Alan Hall, editors, Methods in Enzymology, volume 403, page 22:
   • For many years, Oslo had no railway communication with Bergen and Stavanger, the principal seaports on the south-west coast. 1956 April, H. A. Vallance, “To Oslo via Stavanger”, in Railway Magazine, page 213:
   • The principal treasure of ths department, however, is the Stele of Hammurabi (1792—1750 B.C.), king of the first Babylonian kingdom, a basalt cylinder 2.25m/7ft 5in. inscribed with Hammurabi's laws written in Akkadian in cuneiform script. 1995, Madeleine Cabos, Baedeker Paris, page 105:
   • Smith is the principal architect of this design.
   • In a word, the Epiſodes of Homer are complete Epiſodes; they are proper to the ſubject, because they are drawn from the ground of the fable; they are ſo joined to the principal action, that one is the neceſſary conſequence of the other, either truly or probably: and laſtly, they are imperfect members which do not make a complete and finiſhed body; for an Epiſode that makes a complete action, cannot be part of a principal action; as is eſſential to all Epiſodes. 1725, Homer, “Book IX”, in [William Broome], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume II, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC, page 186:
   • The principal cause of the failure was poor planning.
2. (Latinism, obsolete) Of or relating to a prince; princely.
   • But walkt at will, and wandred to and fro, / In the pride of his freedome principall. 1590, Edmund Spenser, “(please specify the book)”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
3. Chosen or assumed among a branch of possible values of a multi-valued function so that the function is single-valued.
   • Two is the principal square root of 4. Both −2 and +2 are square roots of 4.

Forms

Relateds

principally

Synonyms

main · chief · capital · primary

Translations (63)

sl gláven (primary, main) · mi matua (primary, main) · be асно́ўны (primary, main) · sw mkuu (primary, main) · sga prímda (primary, main) · es principal (primary, main) · fi pää- (primary, main) · mhr тӱҥ (primary, main) · hi मुख्य (primary, main) · bg осно́вен (primary, main) · uk основни́й (primary, main) · mi aporei (primary, main) · ka ძირითადი (primary, main) · ko 주요하다 (primary, main) · pt principal (primary, main) · cmn 主要 (primary, main) · ja 主要な (primary, main) · hi प्रधान (primary, main) · sk hlavný (primary, main) · is aðal- (primary, main) · ro principal (primary, main) · hu legfontosabb (primary, main) · eo precipa (primary, main) · izh osnovnoi (primary, main) · vi chính (primary, main) · sq paresori (primary, main) · is höfuð- (primary, main) · bg гла́вен (primary, main) · my အဓိက (primary, main) · gl principal (primary, main) · nrf prîncipal (primary, main) · pl główny (primary, main) · pl podstawowy (primary, main) · uk головни́й (primary, main) · hu fő (primary, main) · ta முதல் (primary, main) · izh pää (primary, main) · yi פּרינציפּאַל (primary, main) · sh гла̀внӣ (primary, main) · ta தலைமை (primary, main) · ka მთავარი (primary, main) · de hauptsächlich (primary, main) · la potissimus (primary, main) · de Haupt- (primary, main) · sh glàvnī (primary, main) · vi chủ yếu (primary, main) · ne प्रधान (primary, main) · hi प्रमुख (primary, main) · fr principal (primary, main) · ar رَئِيسِيّ (primary, main) · mk главен (primary, main) · it principale (primary, main) · be гало́ўны (primary, main) · sv huvudsaklig (primary, main) · mi tino (primary, main) · he בָּכִיר (primary, main) · de wesentlich (primary, main) · ru гла́вный (primary, main) · cs hlavní (primary, main) · ru основно́й (primary, main) · grc κεφάλαιος (primary, main) · mi pekepoho (primary, main) · nl voornaamste (primary, main)

principal en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• [ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pɫ̩] (Australia, Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• (Australia) audio
• /ˈpɹɪn.sə.pəl/ (Australia, Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pəl/ (Australia, Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈpɹɪn.sə.pɫ̩] (Australia, Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English principal, from Old French principal, from Latin prīncipālis.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) The money originally invested or loaned, on which basis interest and returns are calculated.
   • Coordinate term: interest
   • A portion of your mortgage payment goes to reduce the principal, and the rest covers interest.
   • If you know the principal amount, the interest rate, and the number of years the payments will be made, you can consult an amortization calculator or schedule to arrive at the monthly payment. 2012, Fred Steingold, Legal Forms for Starting & Running a Small Business, page 88:
   • In March 1902, I find in the statement of liabilities and assets £711 put down as arrears of interest, but there is no entry of arrears of principal. 1902, William Pember Reeves, State Experiments in Australia and New Zealand, volume 1, Cambridge University Press, published 2011, page 342:
   • 2012, Denis Clifford, Plan Your Estate, 11th Edition, NOLO, US, page 298, For instance, in some states, dividends that have automatically been reinvested will be treated as principal.
2. (Australia, Canada, New-Zealand, Philippines, US, countable, uncountable) The chief administrator of a school.
   • The important administrative figure to the teacher is the school principal. 1971, Louis Kaplan, Education and Mental Health, page 413:
   • Now renamed Teaching Australia, its officers are undertaking exploratory steps in developing professional standards for school leaders. A National Standards Drafting Group of volunteer principals is currently drafting principal standards (Teaching Australia, 2007). 2009, Colin J. Marsh, Key Concepts for Understanding Curriculum, page 132:
   • The problem was neatly summed up by one principal in Australia who said recently: ‘There is no incentive for me to develop my best teachers to become my successor.[…]’ 2008, Brian Dive, The Accountable Leader: Developing Effective Leadership Through Managerial Accountability, page 212:
   • 2011, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2011-2012, page 45, Principals are now being held more accountable for the performance of students and teachers, while at the same time they are required to adhere to a growing number of government regulations.
3. (Canada, UK, countable, uncountable) The chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college.
   • Coordinate term: bursar
   • 1967, University of Edinburgh Graduates′ Association, University of Edinburgh Journal, Volumes 23-24, page 314, Unlike the students, Principal Robertson, who now resided almost alone in the College, continued to use the accustomed route on his visits to the Old Town; and it “became the joke of the day that from being the principal gate it had become only a gate for the Principal.”⁵
4. (countable, uncountable) A legal person that authorizes another (the agent) to act on their behalf; or on whose behalf an agent or gestor in a negotiorum gestio acts.
   • When an attorney represents a client, the client is the principal who permits the attorney, the client′s agent, to act on the client′s behalf.
   • 2009, California Continuing Education of the Bar, California Probate Code, page 375, An attorney-in-fact has a duty to act solely in yhe interest of the principal and to avoid conflicts of interest.
   • The firm admitted the amount owed, but averred as an affirmative defense that it had hired the expert as an agent of a disclosed principal, the client. 1958, American Law Institute., Restatement of the Law, Second: Agency 2d, volume 7, page 533:
   • A food broker has been defined as an independent sales agent who performs the services of negotiating the sale of food and/or grocery products for and on account of the seller as principal. 1966, Pan American Union, The Marketing Structure for Selected Processed Food Products: In Sweden, Denmark, Norway, The Federal Republic of Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom, page 34:
   • My principal sells metal shims.
5. (countable, uncountable) The primary participant in a crime.
   • The accessories may be prosecuted, tried and punished, though the principal has not been prosecuted or has been acquitted. 1915, Eugene Allen Gilmore, Wiliam Charles Wermuth, Modern American Law, page 125:
6. (countable, uncountable) Either party in a duel.
   • The old man raised his arm as though it had been palsied, and fired, of course without effect. The other principal immediately deloped, much to the satisfaction of my friend and all present. 1868, Andrew Steinmetz, The Romance of Duelling in All Times and Countries, volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, page 107:
7. (Canada, US, countable, uncountable) A partner or owner of a business.
8. (countable, uncountable) A type of stop on a pipe organ consisting of flue pipes with a bright tonal quality. They are also sometimes referred to as a diapason.
9. (countable, uncountable) The construction that gives shape and strength to a roof, generally a truss of timber or iron; or, loosely, the most important member of a piece of framing.
10. (countable, uncountable) The first two long feathers of a hawk's wing.
    • a birde whose principals be scarce growne out 1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC:
    • The first two feathers - Principals 1856, John Henry Walsh, Manual of British Rural Sports:
11. (countable, uncountable) One of the turrets or pinnacles of waxwork and tapers with which the posts and centre of a funeral hearse were formerly crowned
12. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) An essential point or rule; a principle.
    • Set two classes of monitors to question each other; so that one may try to outquestion the other. Explain to them the principal of every subject they have to teach. 1847, Great Britain. Committee on Education, Minutes of the Committee of Council on Education, page 446:
13. (countable, uncountable) A dancer at the highest rank within a professional dance company, particularly a ballet company.
14. (countable, uncountable) A security principal.
15. (countable, uncountable) A main character or lead actor.
    • Silverberg also gives the reader reader some excellent character insight; deep probes into the minds of all the principals bring the reader closer to the persons involved than might be thought possible with the plot so far removed from the realm of normality. 1973 August 4, J. Ralf Green, “The Hossenpfepper Column”, in Gay Community News, page 3:

Forms

Coordinates

accessory

Deriveds

principal boy (derived from adjective or noun) · principal root (derived from adjective or noun) · principal ideal domain (derived from adjective or noun) · vice-principal (derived from adjective or noun) · principalist (derived from adjective or noun) · unprincipal (derived from adjective or noun) · principal ideal (derived from adjective or noun) · principal ideal ring (derived from adjective or noun) · principalness (derived from adjective or noun) · principal part (derived from adjective or noun) · principal square root (derived from adjective or noun) · nonprincipal (derived from adjective or noun) · principalism (derived from adjective or noun) · principal record (derived from adjective or noun) · principal city (derived from adjective or noun) · subprincipal (derived from adjective or noun) · principal photography (derived from adjective or noun) · principal ultrafilter (derived from adjective or noun) · coprincipal (derived from adjective or noun) · principal investigator (derived from adjective or noun) · principal-agent problem (derived from adjective or noun) · principal quantum number (derived from adjective or noun)

Hypernyms

accomplice

Relateds

PITI payment · prince · principle · principalship · principality

Synonyms

headmaster · rector · proprietor · headmistress · dean · headteacher · ringleader · client

Translations (219)

de Rektorin (chief administrator of a school) · bg дире́ктор (chief administrator of a school) · is rektor (chief administrator of a school) · ab адире́ктор (chief administrator of a school) · bn মুহতামিম (chief administrator of a school) · uk ре́кторка (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · km ទុន (money originally invested or loaned) · uk капіта́л (money originally invested or loaned) · bn প্রধান শিক্ষক (chief administrator of a school) · sv kapitalbelopp (money originally invested or loaned) · ka მიმნდობი (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · my ကျောင်းအုပ်ကြီး (chief administrator of a school) · hi प्राचार्या (chief administrator of a school) · bg осно́вен капита́л (money originally invested or loaned) · mi aporei (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · fr directrice (chief administrator of a school) · cmn 正犯 (legal: primary participant in a crime) · nl schoolhoofd (chief administrator of a school) · cy pennaeth (chief administrator of a school) · hu rektor (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · ja 元金 (money originally invested or loaned) · fr mandant (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · sv klient (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · cs zmocnitel (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · sv ägare (partner or owner) · cy prifathro (chief administrator of a school) · kk директор (chief administrator of a school) · ru ре́ктор (chief administrator of a school) · mk директор (chief administrator of a school) · he מְנַהֵל (chief administrator of a school) · hu mestergerenda (architecture: construction that gives shape and strength to a roof) · cy penadur (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · hu megbízó (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · fi ensitanssija (dancer at the highest rank) · sv huvudstol (money originally invested or loaned) · kl atuarfiit pisortaat (chief administrator of a school) · fi pääoma (money originally invested or loaned) · mi tumuaki (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · ka დირექტორი (chief administrator of a school) · hi मुख्याध्यापिका (chief administrator of a school) · pt diretor (chief administrator of a school) · he משלח (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · el διευθυντής (chief administrator of a school) · be дырэ́ктарка (chief administrator of a school) · es capital (money originally invested or loaned) · la rector scholaris (chief administrator of a school) · pl kapitał (money originally invested or loaned) · hu kölcsöntőke (money originally invested or loaned) · cmn 主犯 (legal: primary participant in a crime) · fi päätekijä (legal: primary participant in a crime) · fi omistaja (partner or owner) · de Einsatzbetrag (money originally invested or loaned) · ru директри́са (chief administrator of a school) · de Rektor (chief administrator of a school) · bg главница (money originally invested or loaned) · yue 校長 /校长 (chief administrator of a school) · cs rektor (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · es rector (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · sh принцѝпа̄л (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · es jefe de estudios (chief administrator of a school) · de Vollmachtgeber (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · nl hoofdsom (money originally invested or loaned) · ro rector (chief administrator of a school) · bg ре́ктор (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · kl atuarfiup pisortaa (chief administrator of a school) · hu meghatalmazó (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · fr donneur d'ordre (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · fi päämies (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · es principal (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · sh princìpāl (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · el αρχικό κεφάλαιο (money originally invested or loaned) · bg главен виновник (legal: primary participant in a crime) · mr प्राचार्या (chief administrator of a school) · bg упълномощител (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · kk негізгі капитал (money originally invested or loaned) · bn মুহতামিম (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · ko 원금 (money originally invested or loaned) · ca director (chief administrator of a school) · my ကျောင်းအုပ် (chief administrator of a school) · tr okul müdürü (chief administrator of a school) · ru дире́ктор (chief administrator of a school) · ne प्रधानाध्यापक (chief administrator of a school) · ca directora (chief administrator of a school) · km អគ្គានុរក្ស (chief administrator of a school) · ms guru besar (chief administrator of a school) · ar مُدِير (chief administrator of a school) · sv takås (architecture: construction that gives shape and strength to a roof) · uk довіри́тель (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · bg съсобственик (partner or owner) · nl rector (chief administrator of a school) · pt principal (money originally invested or loaned) · be дырэ́ктар (chief administrator of a school) · mr प्राचार्य (chief administrator of a school) · id guru kepala (chief administrator of a school) · bg собственик (partner or owner) · cs majitel (partner or owner) · cs spolumajitel (partner or owner) · he שולח (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · cs hlavní pachatel (legal: primary participant in a crime) · pl dyrektor (chief administrator of a school) · uk дире́кторка (chief administrator of a school) · es director (chief administrator of a school) · be даве́рнік (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · ru основно́й долг (money originally invested or loaned) · ab агәрарга́ҭаҩ (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · gv ard-venainshtyr (chief administrator of a school) · cmn 本金 (money originally invested or loaned) · fr principal (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · sh повѐритељ (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · fi johtajaopettaja (chief administrator of a school) · is skólameistari (chief administrator of a school) · de Schulleiter (chief administrator of a school) · sv kapital (money originally invested or loaned) · fr proviseur (chief administrator of a school) · pl mocodawca (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · km សិក្សាភិរក្សវិទ្យាល័យ (chief administrator of a school) · sh povèritelj (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · cmn 校長 /校长 (chief administrator of a school) · kk негізгі сома (money originally invested or loaned) · nl lastgever (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · la rēctor (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · is rektor (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · ab ампы́ҵакҩы (partner or owner) · lv rektors (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · es rectora (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · hu iskolaigazgató (chief administrator of a school) · fi rehtori (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · my ကျောင်းအုပ်ကြီး (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · gv ard-ynseyder (chief administrator of a school) · sv huvudman (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · ru основна́я су́мма (money originally invested or loaned) · de Haupttäter m or simply Täter (legal: primary participant in a crime) · cs (původní) půjčka (money originally invested or loaned) · ja 学校長 (chief administrator of a school) · la dominus negōtiī (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · fr principal (money originally invested or loaned) · grc κεφάλαιον (money originally invested or loaned) · cs ředitel (školy) (chief administrator of a school) · eo lernejestro (chief administrator of a school) · hi मुख्याध्यापक (chief administrator of a school) · de Schulvorsteher (chief administrator of a school) · gv bun-argid (money originally invested or loaned) · it preside (chief administrator of a school) · mi tumuaki (chief administrator of a school) · eo kapitalo (money originally invested or loaned) · uk дире́ктор (chief administrator of a school) · de Prinzipal (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · de Anlagebetrag (money originally invested or loaned) · ab аректор (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · id kepala sekolah (chief administrator of a school) · vi hiệu trưởng (chief administrator of a school) · lt kapitalas (money originally invested or loaned) · ro director (chief administrator of a school) · mi tahua more (money originally invested or loaned) · ru принципа́л (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · tr müdür (chief administrator of a school) · nan-hbl 校長 /校长 (chief administrator of a school) · pl dyrektorka (chief administrator of a school) · it capitale (money originally invested or loaned) · ja 校長 (chief administrator of a school) · ko 학교 교장 (chief administrator of a school) · de Einsatz (money originally invested or loaned) · de Geschäftsherr (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · ca representat (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · ga príomhoide (chief administrator of a school) · mr मुख्याध्यापक (chief administrator of a school) · km ចៅហ្វាយ (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · fr directeur (chief administrator of a school) · cmn 委託人 /委托人 (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · bg дире́кторка (chief administrator of a school) · ka ძირი თანხა (money originally invested or loaned) · lv skolas pārzine (chief administrator of a school) · es comitente (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · cy prifathrawes (chief administrator of a school) · sv huvudman (legal: primary participant in a crime) · gv ard-vainshtyr (chief administrator of a school) · hu tőke (money originally invested or loaned) · fr maître de l'affaire (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · ta முதன்மைத் தொகை (money originally invested or loaned) · ota سرمایه (money originally invested or loaned) · hi प्राचार्य (chief administrator of a school) · km នាយកវិទ្យាល័យ (chief administrator of a school) · he מְנַהֶלֶת (chief administrator of a school) · tl punungguro (chief administrator of a school) · es principal de escuela (chief administrator of a school) · gv ard-ven-ynsee (chief administrator of a school) · is umbjóðandi (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · cs zastupovaný nesvéprávný (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · fi kurkihirsi (architecture: construction that gives shape and strength to a roof) · de Schulleiterin (chief administrator of a school) · ka რექტორი (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · tl punong-guro (chief administrator of a school) · de Schulvorsteherin (chief administrator of a school) · pl klient (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · hu igazgató (chief administrator of a school) · fr principal (collège) (chief administrator of a school) · fr proviseure (lycée) (chief administrator of a school) · gv ard-er-ynsee (chief administrator of a school) · de Schuldirektor (chief administrator of a school) · nl vertegenwoordiger (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · de Anlagesumme (money originally invested or loaned) · fi rehtori (chief administrator of a school) · lv rektore (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · ne साँवा (money originally invested or loaned) · cs (počáteční) vklad (money originally invested or loaned) · sv rektor (chief administrator of a school) · da hovedstol (money originally invested or loaned) · sv rektor (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · lv skolas pārzinis (chief administrator of a school) · ru довери́тель (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · th ครูใหญ่ (chief administrator of a school) · es directora (chief administrator of a school) · de Schuldirektorin (chief administrator of a school) · ar مُوَكِّل (legal: one on behalf of whom an agent or gestor acts) · ko 교장 (chief administrator of a school) · uk ре́ктор (chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college) · bg основна сума (money originally invested or loaned) · is skólastjóri (chief administrator of a school) · ar مُدِيرَة (chief administrator of a school)