principle

noun

prin·ci·ple | \ ˈprin(t)-s(ə-)pəl

, -sə-bəl\

Definition of principle

1a : a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption

b(1) : a rule or code of conduct

(2) : habitual devotion to right principles a man of principle

c : the laws or facts of nature underlying the working of an artificial device

2 : a primary source : origin

3a : an underlying faculty or endowment such principles of human nature as greed and curiosity

b : an ingredient (such as a chemical) that exhibits or imparts a characteristic quality

4 capitalized, Christian Science : a divine principle : god

in principle

: with respect to fundamentals prepared to accept the proposition in principle

Principle vs. Principal: Usage Guide Principle vs. Principal More Example Sentences Learn More about principle

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Principle vs. Principal

Yes, these two words are confusing; we see evidence of the misuse of both in newspapers and books which have been overseen by professional editors, so don’t feel bad if you have trouble with them. Principle only functions as a noun (such as “a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption”); if you want it to be an adjective you must use the word principled. Principal, on the other hand, may function as a noun (such as the head of a school) or as an adjective (meaning “most important”).

Examples of principle in a Sentence

Urban guerrilla warfare was futile against a thermonuclear superstate that would stop at nothing to defend the profit principle. — Philip Roth, American Pastoral, 1997 Better, of course, to take a higher road, operate on the principle of service and see if things don't turn out better … — Richard Ford, Independence Day, 1995 Pointlessness was life's principle, and it spread its sadness. — Arthur Miller, Timebends, 1987 His investment strategy is based on the principle that the stock market offers the best returns for long-term investors. the basic principles of hydraulics

Recent Examples on the Web

This custom is not driven entirely by principle, but also by a sense that such criticism is ineffectual: The Journal reports: Before Mr. Trump, the last president to publicly call for lower interest rates was George H.W. Bush. — James Freeman, WSJ, "Trump Fears the Fed," 18 Oct. 2018 Shortly after the draft, Robinson agreed in principle to join Miami's summer-league team. — Chris Nelsen, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan's Duncan Robinson answers call for Miami Heat summer team," 28 June 2018 With cash to spend, adult fans turned the dark times into an opportunity to complete sets, track down rare items, and shape the principles of the hobby that would emerge later. — Alexander Huls, Popular Mechanics, "The Great Star Wars Heist," 7 Mar. 2019 German Chancellor Angela Merkel made an impassioned plea for preserving the principle of multilateralism in global politics, and warned against the belief that a state could solve all problems by itself. — Bojan Pancevski, WSJ, "Munich Conference Highlights a Divided U.S.," 17 Feb. 2019 Casey applies the principles of stare decisis to Roe v. Wade, and, according to the chief justice, is itself a precedent of the court that is entitled to respect. — NBC News, "Why Roe v. Wade is likely not in grave danger no matter whom Trump nominates," 5 July 2018 PCWorld sat down with Josh Newman, the general manager of mobile innovation segments for Intel, for an exclusive look at Project Athena’s guiding principles. — Brad Chacos, PCWorld, "6 important CES 2019 reveals and trends that PC enthusiasts need to know about," 11 Jan. 2019 This type of research was initially developed in the 1980s at MIT by roboticist Rodney Brooks, who developed a number of robots based on their principle. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "DARPA Wants to Turn Insect Brains into Robot Brains," 10 Jan. 2019 On our retreat, a five-night, small-group experience in the wildlife refuge of Kenya’s Laikipia Plateau, the idea was to apply these same principles to human nature. — Pilar Guzmán, Condé Nast Traveler, "Editor's Letter: The Wisdom of the Wild," 10 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'principle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.