principal
1 of 2adjective
prin·ci·pal ˈprin(t)-s(ə-)pəl 
-sə-bəl
1
: most important, consequential, or influential : chief
the principal ingredient
the region's principal city
2
: of, relating to, or constituting principal or a principal (see principal entry 2)
principally
ˈprin(t)-sə-p(ə-)lē
adverb -sə-bə-lē
-splē
principal
2 of 2noun
prin·ci·pal ˈprin(t)-s(ə-)pəl
-sə-bəl
1
: a person who has controlling authority or is in a leading position: such as
a
: a chief or head man or woman
b
: the chief executive officer of an educational institution
c
: one who engages another to act as an agent subject to general control and instruction
specifically : the person from whom an agent's authority derives
d
: the chief or an actual participant in a crime
e
: the person primarily or ultimately liable on a legal obligation
f
: a leading performer : star
2
: a matter or thing of primary importance: such as
a(1)
: a capital sum earning interest, due as a debt, or used as a fund
(2)
: the corpus of an estate, portion, devise, or bequest
b
: the construction that gives shape and strength to a roof and is usually one of several trusses
broadly : the most important member of a piece of framing
principalship
ˈprin(t)-s(ə-)pəl-ˌship
noun -sə-bəl-
Synonyms
Adjective
- arch
- big
- capital
- cardinal
- central
- chief
- dominant
- first
- foremost
- grand
- great
- greatest
- highest
- key
- leading
- main
- master
- number one
- No. 1
- numero uno
- overbearing
- overmastering
- overriding
- paramount
- predominant
- preeminent
- premier
- primal
- primary
- prior
- sovereign
- sovran
- supreme
Noun
- headliner
- lead
- star
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective If any suspect that Griswold was exaggerating, they should reflect on the fact that the principal Supreme Court case justifying the invocation of the national security privilege was based on a governmental lie. 
Garry Wills, New York Review of Books, 12 Feb. 2009 Following the agreement, the four principal tobacco companies—Philip Morris, R. J. Reynolds, Brown & Williamson, and Lorillard—raised their prices more than 45 cents per pack. The costs of the settlement, as predicted, were passed on to consumers. Allan M. Brandt, The Cigarette Century, 2007 Their principal industry was the manufacture, in a long, low, mostly-wooden, two-story factory, of cold cream. Frederick Busch, Too Late American Boyhood Blues, 1984 Vegetables are the principal ingredients in this soup. She is the principal cellist of the orchestra. Noun the new high school principal One of the principals in the assassination plot has been arrested. See More
Garry Wills, New York Review of Books, 12 Feb. 2009 Following the agreement, the four principal tobacco companies—Philip Morris, R. J. Reynolds, Brown & Williamson, and Lorillard—raised their prices more than 45 cents per pack. The costs of the settlement, as predicted, were passed on to consumers. Allan M. Brandt, The Cigarette Century, 2007 Their principal industry was the manufacture, in a long, low, mostly-wooden, two-story factory, of cold cream. Frederick Busch, Too Late American Boyhood Blues, 1984 Vegetables are the principal ingredients in this soup. She is the principal cellist of the orchestra. Noun the new high school principal One of the principals in the assassination plot has been arrested. See More Recent Examples on the Web Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2022 Her principal teacher was Lola Bravo, a doyenne of Spanish dance who also believed in the importance of classical ballet; Ms. Ramirez went on to study with Ballets Russes ballerina Alexandra Danilova. Joel Lobenthal, Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2022 Years before the reckoning of 2020—years before this article’s principal characters were even born—a British colonial official named Kenneth Murray set out to endow Nigeria with a museum worthy of its heritage . David Frum, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2022 The principal owner of the Milwaukee Brewers will become the second-biggest shareholder in the Norwich City soccer club, currently belonging to the English Football Championship League one notch below the Premier League. Jr Radcliffe, Journal Sentinel, 13 Sep. 2022 Volhardt, who resigned from the elementary school Aug. 4, took a vice principal position at another area high school. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2022 Mendez is the principal librarian for Partnerships & Community Outreach. Laura Groch, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2022 The principal cast for the film is set, with Halle Bailey starring as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton and more. Nerisha Penrose, ELLE, 10 Sep. 2022 It will then be driven to Edinburgh, where it will be placed in the throne room at the Palace of Holyrood, the monarch’s principal residence in Scotland. Max Colchester, WSJ, 10 Sep. 2022 Andrew Wolfson, The Courier-Journal, 15 Sep. 2022 On Thursday, school principal David Jaffe sent a letter to Vista High parents saying the cancellations were done out of an abundance of caution. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Sep. 2022 In total, there are six bedrooms spread across the home’s four levels and the grand principal suite spans the entire first floor—imagine that. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 15 Sep. 2022 Night Capital’s board of directors is composed of Duchscher, Kerns, Moore, Night president Ezra Cooperstein and TCG principal Jacob Smilovitz. Todd Spangler, Variety, 13 Sep. 2022 McGee is a former deputy superintendent and principal in the Little Rock School District. Cynthia Howell, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2022 Sacramento Bee Former Fresno-area elementary school principal Brian Volhardt has been charged with a misdemeanor count of child abuse after a video from June 7 surfaced of him pushing a special-needs student to the ground. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2022 School principal Brian Vollhardt shoves a special needs student. Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 10 Sep. 2022 Millennium principal Joe Larkin said the tower’s Passive House design, which sharply reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared with most office buildings, was also appealing to McKinsey. Tim Logan, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2022 See More
Adjective
Gabrielle Rabinovitch will serve as acting CFO and perform PayPal's principal financial officer's duties, effective immediately. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2022 Her principal teacher was Lola Bravo, a doyenne of Spanish dance who also believed in the importance of classical ballet; Ms. Ramirez went on to study with Ballets Russes ballerina Alexandra Danilova. Joel Lobenthal, Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2022 Years before the reckoning of 2020—years before this article’s principal characters were even born—a British colonial official named Kenneth Murray set out to endow Nigeria with a museum worthy of its heritage . David Frum, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2022 The principal owner of the Milwaukee Brewers will become the second-biggest shareholder in the Norwich City soccer club, currently belonging to the English Football Championship League one notch below the Premier League. Jr Radcliffe, Journal Sentinel, 13 Sep. 2022 Volhardt, who resigned from the elementary school Aug. 4, took a vice principal position at another area high school. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2022 Mendez is the principal librarian for Partnerships & Community Outreach. Laura Groch, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2022 The principal cast for the film is set, with Halle Bailey starring as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton and more. Nerisha Penrose, ELLE, 10 Sep. 2022 It will then be driven to Edinburgh, where it will be placed in the throne room at the Palace of Holyrood, the monarch’s principal residence in Scotland. Max Colchester, WSJ, 10 Sep. 2022 Noun
Throwing out the case, Patton cited a legal principal known as issue preclusion, which holds that an issue shouldn’t have to be re-litigated if the facts in two related cases are similar. Andrew Wolfson, The Courier-Journal, 15 Sep. 2022 On Thursday, school principal David Jaffe sent a letter to Vista High parents saying the cancellations were done out of an abundance of caution. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Sep. 2022 In total, there are six bedrooms spread across the home’s four levels and the grand principal suite spans the entire first floor—imagine that. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 15 Sep. 2022 Night Capital’s board of directors is composed of Duchscher, Kerns, Moore, Night president Ezra Cooperstein and TCG principal Jacob Smilovitz. Todd Spangler, Variety, 13 Sep. 2022 McGee is a former deputy superintendent and principal in the Little Rock School District. Cynthia Howell, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2022 Sacramento Bee Former Fresno-area elementary school principal Brian Volhardt has been charged with a misdemeanor count of child abuse after a video from June 7 surfaced of him pushing a special-needs student to the ground. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2022 School principal Brian Vollhardt shoves a special needs student. Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 10 Sep. 2022 Millennium principal Joe Larkin said the tower’s Passive House design, which sharply reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared with most office buildings, was also appealing to McKinsey. Tim Logan, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Noun
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin principalis, from princip-, princeps
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing principal
Kids Definition
principal 1 of 2
adjective
prin·ci·pal ˈprin-sə-pəl
: highest in rank or importance : chief
My sister had the principal part in the school play.
principal
2 of 2noun
1
: the head of a school
2
: a leading or most important person or thing
3
: a sum of money that is placed to earn interest, is owed as a debt, or is used as a fund
Legal Definition
principal 1 of 2
adjective
prin·ci·pal ˈprin-sə-pəl
1
: being the main or most important, consequential, or influential
their principal place of business
the principal obligor
2
: of, relating to, or constituting principal or a principal
the principal amount of the loan
principal
2 of 2noun
1
: a participant in an action or transaction especially having control or authority
the principals of a business
: as a
: one who engages another to act for him or her subject to his or her general control or instruction : one from whom an agent derives authority to act compare fiduciary
b
: one who commits a crime or instigates, encourages, or assists another to commit it especially when constructively or actually present see also accessory sense 1
— principal in the first degree
: a principal under common law who intentionally commits and is actually or constructively present at the commission of a crime
— principal in the second degree
: a principal under common law who aids, encourages, or commands another to commit a crime and is actually or constructively present when it is committed
c
: the person primarily liable on a legal obligation or one who will ultimately bear the burden because of a duty to indemnify another as distinguished from one (as an endorser, surety, or guarantor) who is secondarily liable
2
: a capital sum earning interest, due as a debt, or used as a fund
shall receive the income from the trust until age 18, and thereafter the principal
payments shall be applied first to interest and then to principal
also : the main body of an estate, devise, or bequest
principal 1 of 2
noun
as in star
the person who has the most important role in a play, movie, or TV show my cousin is one of the principals in a new sitcom this fall Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- star
- lead
- headliner
- superstar
- coprincipal
- leading man
- leading lady
- starlet
- ingenue
- costar
- ingénue
- star turn
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- extra
- supernumerary
principal
2 of 2adjective
1
as in main
coming before all others in importance our principal reason for coming here today Synonyms & Similar Words
- main
- primary
- greatest
- predominant
- highest
- foremost
- dominant
- chief
- first
- leading
- key
- big
- central
- supreme
- cardinal
- paramount
- capital
- overriding
- master
- premier
- sovereign
- prior
- great
- preeminent
- arch
- major
- distinguished
- primal
- overbearing
- top
- outstanding
- number one
- senior
- overmastering
- grand
- eminent
- sovran
- important
- illustrious
- notable
- numero uno
- prestigious
- noteworthy
- signal
- superior
- star
- No. 1
- stellar
- influential
- noble
- significant
- famous
- incomparable
- renowned
- matchless
- mighty
- famed
- momentous
- celebrated
- high-level
- unparalleled
- unequaled
- unsurpassed
- unequalled
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- least
- last
- secondary
- minor
- subordinate
- unimportant
- insignificant
- negligible
- trivial
- slight
- collateral
- subsidiary
- inferior
- trifling
- inconsiderable
- inconsequential
2
as in chief
highest in rank or authority the principal researcher in the company's chemical division Synonyms & Similar Words
- chief
- presiding
- primary
- foremost
- supreme
- commanding
- top
- leading
- senior
- lead
- first
- head
- high
- prime
- main
- premier
- preeminent
- in charge
- major
- managing
- predominant
- supereminent
- supervisory
- reigning
- directing
- ruling
- dominant
- predominate
- paramount
- controlling
- sovereign
- upper
- officiating
- overseeing
- high-level
- topmost
- superior
- uppermost
- ascendant
- regnant
- grand
- sovran
- upmost
- ascendent
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- secondary
- second
- subordinate
- last
- lesser
- lower
- subsidiary
- ancillary
- less
- assistant
- inferior
- junior
- lowly
- deputy
- assisting
- under
- coadjutor