adj

principal

PRIHN-sih-puhl

adj

Most important; main.

"The principal reason for the delay was the weather."

"Cotton is the region's principal export."

noun

The head of a school.

"The principal called an assembly to address the students."

A sum of money originally invested or lent, before interest.

"After ten years, most of her payments had gone to interest rather than the principal."

How to Use Principal

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe main or most important thing/person — or, in schools and finance, a specific job title and a specific sum of money.

Common mistake

Frequently confused with principle (a rule or belief). Remember: the school PRINCIPAL is your PAL; a PRINCIPLE is a RULE.

Easily confused with

principle →

Common pairings

school principal principal reason pay down the principal

more principal comparative, principals plural, most principal superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

The _____ reason for the delay was the weather.

From Old French principal, from Latin prīncipālis ("first, foremost").

municipal