principal

noun

(finance, uncountable) The money originally invested or loaned, on which basis interest and returns are calculated.

(Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines) The chief administrator of a school.

(UK, Canada) The chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college.

(Canada, US) A partner or owner of a business.

(law) 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.

(law) The primary participant in a crime.

A main character or lead actor.

(computing) A security principal.

(music) 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.

(architecture, engineering) 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.

The first two long feathers of a hawk's wing.

One of the turrets or pinnacles of waxwork and tapers with which the posts and centre of a funeral hearse were formerly crowned

A dancer at the highest rank within a professional dance company, particularly a ballet company.

Either party in a duel.

(obsolete) An essential point or rule; a principle.

adjective

Primary; most important; first level in importance.

(mathematics) Chosen or assumed among a branch of possible values of a multi-valued function so that the function is single-valued.

(obsolete, Latinism) Of or relating to a prince; princely.

Roots

primusprin- · Latin · first capio-cip · Latin · take, seize

Synonyms for principal

headmastern headmistressn headn superintendentn chiefadj directorn primaryadj mainadj rectorn administratorn supervisorn

Synonyms & related words for principal

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of principal — including headmaster, headmistress, head, superintendent, chief, director. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to principal

Explore words related to principal — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include headteacher, principalship, teacher, superintendency, manageress, headmastership, schoolmaster, manager. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for principal

Common synonyms for principal include headmaster, headmistress, head, superintendent, chief, director, primary, main — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does principal come from?

The word principal breaks down into 2 roots of Latin origin: prin-, from Latin primus (“first”); and -cip, from Latin capio (“take, seize”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.