principal

== English == === Alternative forms === principall (obsolete) === Etymology === From Middle English principal, from Old French principal, from Latin prīncipālis. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation, General American, Canada, General Australian) IPA(key): /ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pəl/, [ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pɫ̩], /ˈpɹɪn.sə.pəl/, [ˈpɹɪn.sə.pɫ̩] Homophone: principle Hyphenation: prin‧ci‧pal === Adjective === principal (comparative more principal, superlative most principal) Primary; most important; first level in importance. Synonyms: chief, main, primary (obsolete, Latinism) Of or relating to a prince; princely. (mathematics) Chosen or assumed among a branch of possible values of a multi-valued function so that the function is single-valued. ==== Usage notes ==== Principal should not be confused with principle. Principle is always a noun, which is sometimes erroneously used with the meaning of the adjective principal. Incorrect: He is the principle musician in the band Correct: He is the principal musician in the band Similarly principal (or principally) may sometimes erroneously get used as an adjective form of principle. Possible alternatives for an adjective with a meaning closer to the noun principle are fundamental and ethical. Incorrect: I have principal objections. Correct: I have ethical objections. This can vary in other languages, for example in Dutch where the noun principe does have an adjective form in principieel. This can be a source of confusion if a Dutch speaker assumes an adjective form of principle would also exist in English which may lead them to erroneously use the similar-sounding adjective principal in an English text for this purpose. Principal is generally not used in the comparative or superlative in formal writing, as the meaning is already superlative. However, like unique, it is sometimes used in this way. ==== Related terms ==== principally ==== Translations ==== === Noun === principal (countable and uncountable, plural principals) (finance, uncountable) The money originally invested or loaned, on which basis interest and returns are calculated. A portion of your mortgage payment goes to reduce the principal, and the rest covers interest. 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. Coordinate term: interest (Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines) The chief administrator of a school. Synonyms: (UK) headteacher, headmaster, headmistress 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. Coordinate terms: master, mistress, headteacher (UK, Canada) The chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college. Synonyms: dean, rector 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 Coordinate term: bursar (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. Synonym: client 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. My principal sells metal shims. 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. (law) The primary participant in a crime. Synonym: ringleader Coordinate term: accessory Hypernym: accomplice Either party in a duel. (Canada, US) A partner or owner of a business. Synonym: proprietor (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 (obsolete) An essential point or rule; a principle. A dancer at the highest rank within a professional dance company, particularly a ballet company. (computing) A security principal. A main character or lead actor. ==== Usage notes ==== Principal should not be confused with principle. They are both nouns, but principle means "moral rule", while principal may refer to a person or entity. Incorrect: He is the principle of our school Correct: He is the principal of our school ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Derived terms === === See also === PITI payment prince principality principle === References === == Catalan == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin prīncipālis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central, Valencia, Northwestern) [pɾin.siˈpal] === Adjective === principal m or f (masculine and feminine plural principals) main; principal a partir de l'any 1799 Urgias va ser un dels principals animadors del Parnàs Alguerès ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Further reading ==== “principal”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007 == Danish == === Etymology 1 === From Latin prīncipālis. === Adjective === principal (neuter principalt, plural and definite singular attributive principale) main, primary, key (mainly used in legal matters) Synonym: primær Antonym: subsidiær === Declension === === Etymology 2 === A nominalization of the adjective above. === Noun === principal c (singular definite principalen, plural indefinite principaler) (archaic) a principal (person who has a superior position in relation to another) ==== Declension ==== ==== See also ==== princip principiel === References === “principal” in Den Danske Ordbog == French == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin prīncipālis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /pʁɛ̃.si.pal/ === Adjective === principal (feminine principale, masculine plural principaux, feminine plural principales) main, key, principal l'un des principaux problèmes ― one of the key problems les principales ethnies du pays ― the principal ethnic groups of the country ==== Usage notes ==== This is one of the French adjectives that can occur either before or after the noun. When located before the noun, the adjective is more strongly emphasized. ==== Derived terms ==== === Noun === principal m (plural principaux, feminine principale) someone or something which is important, key, paramount; that which matters most les principaux du royaume ― the chief men of the kingdom Le principal est que tu sois sain et sauf. ― (please add an English translation of this usage example) principal (school administrator) Synonyms: préfet, directeur (finance) principal (the money originally invested or loaned) === Further reading === “principal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Galician == === Pronunciation === Rhymes: -al Hyphenation: prin‧ci‧pal === Adjective === principal m or f (plural principais) main, principal ==== Related terms ==== == Occitan == === Pronunciation === === Adjective === principal m (feminine singular principala, masculine plural principals, feminine plural principalas) main, principal == Portuguese == === Etymology === From Latin principālis (“first; principal”), from prīncipium (“beginning”). === Pronunciation === Rhymes: -al, -aw Hyphenation: prin‧ci‧pal === Adjective === principal m or f (plural principais) main; principal (most important) Synonym: primário Antonym: secundário fundamental; essential Synonyms: see Thesaurus:importante, Thesaurus:importante Antonyms: see Thesaurus:importante (astronomy, of a heavenly body) having another body orbiting it Synonym: primário Antonym: orbitante (grammar, of a sentence) not subordinate Antonym: subordinado ==== Derived terms ==== === Noun === principal m (plural principais) prelate of a religious, educational or commercial institution Synonyms: diretor, prelado ==== Related terms ==== === Further reading === “principal”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026 “principal”, in Dicionário infopédia da Lingua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2026 “principal”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from French principal, from Latin principalis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /prin.t͡ʃiˈpal/ === Adjective === principal m or n (feminine singular principală, masculine plural principali, feminine/neuter plural principale) principal, primary, chief, foremost Synonym: central Antonym: secundar ==== Declension ==== == Spanish == === Etymology === Inherited from Old Spanish prinçipal, principal, borrowed from Latin principālis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /pɾinθiˈpal/ [pɾĩn̟.θiˈpal] (Equatorial Guinea, Spain) IPA(key): /pɾinsiˈpal/ [pɾĩn.siˈpal] (Latin America, Philippines) Rhymes: -al Syllabification: prin‧ci‧pal === Adjective === principal m or f (masculine and feminine plural principales) main, most important essential ==== Derived terms ==== === Noun === principal m (plural principales) chief, boss ==== Related terms ==== === Descendants === → Tagalog: prinsipal === Further reading === “principal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025 == Swedish == === Noun === principal c a principal; one who directs another (the agent) to act on one's behalf ==== Declension ==== ==== See also ==== princip principiell