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principal [ prin·ci·pal ]

[
US
ˈprɪnsəpl ]
[
UK
ˈprɪnsəpl ]
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Adjective

1. First in order of importance; main.

the country's principal cities

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2. Denoting an original sum invested or lent.

An investor invests in the issuer the principal amount of the structured note component.

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Noun

1. The most important or senior person in an organization or group.

But at the end of the day he wasn't a principal in the administration.

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2. The head of a school, college, or other educational institution.

Low-performing schools need better principals and teachers.

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3. The leading performer in a concert, play, ballet, or opera.

The only thing that carries the film is the performances by the principals.

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4. The leading player in each section of an orchestra.

he had been an outstanding principal in the orchestra

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5. (in certain professions) a fully qualified practitioner.

principals in general practice are self-employed and controlled by their practice agreements

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6. (in the UK) a senior civil servant in charge of a particular section.

The principals stated overwhelmingly that government funds were inadequate.

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7. A sum of money lent or invested, on which interest is paid.

the winners are paid from the interest without even touching the principal

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8. A person for whom another acts as an agent or representative.

stockbrokers in Tokyo act as agents rather than as principals

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9. The person directly responsible for a crime.

I don't want the cops to haul me and the gang back to face our principal for crimes years in the past.

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10. Each of the combatants in a duel.

Then he added that he and his principal would enjoy axes, and indeed prefer them, but such weapons were barred by the French code, and so I must change my proposal.

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11. A main rafter supporting purlins.

Two 2 in. x 6 in. struts run from purlin to truss principal.

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12. An organ stop sounding a main register of open flue pipes typically an octave above the diapason.

The distinctive pipe organ sound which cannot be duplicated by any other instrument is produced by ranks designated as the Principal.

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Usage

1. On the confusion of principal and principle, see principle

Origin

1. Middle English via Old French from Latin principalis ‘first, original’, from princeps, princip- ‘first, chief’.

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