principal

1 of 2

noun (1)

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 

-sə-bəl-

noun

principalship

2 of 2

noun (2)

prin·​ci·​pal·​ship -pəlˌship 

-bəl-

: the office or condition of a principal

especially : the position of an academic principal

will be asked to assume the principalship of the new high school

Synonyms of principal

Noun (1)

• star

Examples of principal in a Sentence

Noun (1)

the new high school principal

One of the principals in the assassination plot has been arrested.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The principals of Midsummer bear more than a passing resemblance to the reality TV casts of the 21st century. —Literary Hub, 2 June 2026

Sadik-Khan is a principal at Bloomberg Associates and the former commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation. —Time, 2 June 2026

The meeting occurred shortly after a Fort Worth school district principal was reassigned after old posts of hers surfaced on social media. —Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 June 2026

Manager Aaron Folbe and Underground principal Trevor Engelson will rep the filmmaker. —Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 2 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing principal

• co-principal
• principal diagonal
• principal parts

Rhymes for principal

• principle

Kids Definition

principal

1 of 2 adjective

prin·​ci·​pal ˈprin(t)-s(ə-)pəl 

-sə-bəl

: most important : chief

the principal ingredient of the stew

principally

-ē 

prin(t)-splē

adverb

principal

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: a leading or most important person

b

: the head of a school

2

: 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 2 noun

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