You searched for: “principal
principal (s) (noun), principals (pl)
1. A chief or head.
2. The head or director of a school or; especially, in England, a college.
3. A person who takes a leading part in any activity, as a play; a chief actor or performer.
4. The first player of a division of instruments in an orchestra (except the leader of the first violins).
5. Something of primary or chief importance.

Learn how to distinguish between principal and principle.

principal, principal, principle
principal (PRIN suh puhl) (adjective)
1. Most important or influential: Gregory was the principal financial backer of the railroad project.
2. A reference to the leading performer in a play or movie: Abigail had the principal role in the newly discovered play by Shakespeare.
3. Relating to a primary source of information: The principal source for Shawn's research was the letters and documents which were located in the library archives.
principal (PRIN suh puhl) (noun)
1. The individual who has significant authority and leadership in an educational institution: Mildred's aunt was the principal at the local high school for almost ten years before she retired.
2. Money that is used to fund an undertaking, not including interest accrued: Walter has his principal in the bank and he is using it to pay his bills and to buy items that he needs.
principle (PRIN suh puhl) (noun)
1. A comprehensive code of conduct: The main rule or principle of the company was declared to be "integrity".
2. An underlying quality or characteristic of something: The famous writer had a principle which involved doing careful research before starting work on a novel.
3. Adherence or devotion to appropriate behavior: Pete was described as a man of principle in terms of his business transactions.
4. The law of science that underlies the operation of an artificial device: The waterwheel operated on the principle that falling water would hit the paddles and turn the wheel.

The professor said that his main code of conduct, or his principal principle, was to make sure that his students would have every opportunity to improve their vocabulary skills.

For more information and mnemonic explanations for determining the appropriate usage of these words, visit this principal, principle, page.

principal, principle quiz

Principal-Principle Words, Quiz or at this principal-principle category link.

This entry is located in the following unit: prin- + (page 1)
Units related to: “principal
(Latin: hinge, hinge of a door, pivot, that on which something turns; thus, principal, chief)
(confusions explained and clarified with mnemonic tools for remembering the two words)
(Greek: first; foremost, front, earliest form of, original, primitive; chief, principal; usually used as a prefix)
(Greek > Latin: chief, principal leader, first [in position or rank])