headmaster

noun

head·​mas·​ter ˈhed-ˌma-stər How to pronounce headmaster (audio)
-ˈma-
Synonyms of headmasternext
: a man heading the staff of a private school : principal
headmasterly adjective
headmastership noun

Examples of headmaster in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
By the end of the school year, the headmaster sent a letter home suggesting Hart pursue his high school career elsewhere. Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 3 June 2026 Back at the school, Jamison's (Ava Marie Telek) crying in the headmaster's office. Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026 Overprivileged students had a tendency to see teachers and headmasters not as authority figures but as people of lower social standing. Thomas Adam, The Conversation, 29 May 2026 John Lithgow co-stars as beloved Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 10 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for headmaster

Word History

First Known Use

1576, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of headmaster was in 1576

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Cite this Entry

“Headmaster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headmaster. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

headmaster

noun
head·​mas·​ter -ˌmas-tər How to pronounce headmaster (audio)
-ˈmas-
: a male head of a private school

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