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11 dictionary results for: Principal

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

prin·ci·pal

[prin-suh-puh

l] Pronunciation Key

–adjective

1.	first or highest in rank, importance, value, etc.; chief; foremost.

2.	of, of the nature of, or constituting principal or capital: a principal investment.

3.	Geometry. (of an axis of a conic) passing through the foci.

–noun

4.	a chief or head.

5.	the head or director of a school or, esp. in England, a college.

6.	a person who takes a leading part in any activity, as a play; chief actor or doer.

7.	the first player of a division of instruments in an orchestra (excepting the leader of the first violins).

8.	something of principal or chief importance.

Law.

a.	a person who authorizes another, as an agent, to represent him or her.

b.	a person directly responsible for a crime, either as an actual perpetrator or as an abettor present at its commission. Compare accessory (def. 3).

10.	a person primarily liable for an obligation, in contrast with an endorser, or the like.

11.	the main body of an estate, or the like, as distinguished from income.

12.	Finance. a capital sum, as distinguished from interest or profit.

13.

Music.

a.	an organ stop.

b.	the subject of a fugue.

14.	(in a framed structure) a member, as a truss, upon which adjacent or similar members depend for support or reinforcement.

15.	each of the combatants in a duel, as distinguished from the seconds.

[Origin: 1250–1300; ME < L prīncipālis first, chief, equiv. to prīncip- (see prince) + -ālis -al¹

]

—Related forms

prin·ci·pal·ship, noun

—Synonyms 1. prime, paramount, leading, main, cardinal, preeminent. See capital¹. 4. leader. 5. headmaster, dean, master.

—Antonyms 1. secondary, ancillary.

—Usage note The noun principle and the noun and adjective principal are often confused. Although pronounced alike, the words are not interchangeable in writing. A principle is broadly “a rule of action or conduct” (His overriding principle is greed) or “a fundamental doctrine or tenet” (Their principles do not permit the use of alcoholic beverages). The adjective principal has the general sense “chief, first, foremost”: My principal objection is the cost of the project. The noun principal has among other meanings “the head or director of a school” (The faculty supported the principal in her negotiations with the board) and “a capital sum, as distinguished from interest or profit” (The monthly payments go mostly for interest, leaving the principal practically untouched).

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

prin·ci·pal (prĭn'sə-pəl) Pronunciation Key
adj.

First, highest, or foremost in importance, rank, worth, or degree; chief. See Synonyms at chief.
Of, relating to, or being financial principal, or a principal in a financial transaction.

One who holds a position of presiding rank, especially the head of an elementary school or high school.
A main participant in a situation.
A person having a leading or starring role.
1. The capital or main body of an estate or financial holding as distinguished from the interest or revenue from it.
2. A sum of money owed as a debt, upon which interest is calculated.
3. A person who empowers another to act as his or her representative.
4. The person having prime responsibility for an obligation as distinguished from one who acts as surety or as an endorser.
5. One who commits or is an accomplice to a crime.
Law
1. A person who empowers another to act as his or her representative.
2. The person having prime responsibility for an obligation as distinguished from one who acts as surety or as an endorser.
3. One who commits or is an accomplice to a crime.
Architecture Either of a pair of inclined timbers forming the sides of a triangular truss for a pitched roof.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin prīncipālis, from prīnceps, prīncip-, leader, emperor; see per¹ in Indo-European roots.]

prin'ci·pal·ly adv., prin'ci·pal·ship' n.

Usage Note: Principal and principle are often confused but have no meanings in common. Principle is only a noun and usually refers to a rule or standard. Principal is both a noun and an adjective. As a noun, it has specialized meanings in law and finance, but in general usage it refers to a person who holds a high position or plays an important role: a meeting among all the principals in the transaction. As an adjective it has the sense of "chief" or "leading": The coach's principal concern is the quarterback's health.

(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
principal (adj.)

c.1290, from O.Fr. principal (11c.), from L. principalis "first in importance," from princeps (see prince). The noun is c.1300 in the sense of "ruler;" c.1340 in the sense of "money on which interest is paid;" 1827 as "person in charge of a public school," though meaning "head of a college or hall" was in England from 1438, and the basic sense of "chief, commander, ruler" is recorded from 1388. Principally "in the first place, mainly" is from 1340.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

principal
adjective
1.	most important element; "the chief aim of living"; "the main doors were of solid glass"; "the principal rivers of America"; "the principal example"; "policemen were primary targets"; "the master bedroom"; "a master switch" [syn: chief]
noun
1.	the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated
2.	the educator who has executive authority for a school; "she sent unruly pupils to see the principal"
3.	an actor who plays a principal role [syn: star]
4.	capital as contrasted with the income derived from it
5.	(criminal law) any person involved in a criminal offense, regardless of whether the person profits from such involvement
6.	the major party to a financial transaction at a stock exchange; buys and sells for his own account

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American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
principal

The original amount of money lent, not including profits and interest.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Investopedia - Cite This Source - Share This

Principal

1. The amount borrowed or the amount still owed on a loan, separate from interest.

2. The original amount invested, separate from earnings.

3. The face value of a bond.

4. The owner of a private company.

5. The main party to a transaction, acting as either a buyer or seller for his/her own account and risk.

Investopedia Commentary

Be sure to take into account the context in which this term is used, as the exact meaning of the term has many variations.

Can also be referred to as "corpus."

See also: Agent, Bond, Broker-Dealer, Dealer, Face Value

Also spelled: principle

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Wallstreet Words - Cite This Source - Share This

principal

The face amount of a bond. Once a bond has been issued, it may sell at more or less than its principal amount, depending upon changes in interest rates and the riskiness of the security. At maturity, however, the bond will be redeemed for its principal amount. Also called principal amount.
Funds put up by an investor.
The person who owns or takes delivery of an asset in a trade. For example, an investor is the principal for whom a broker executes a trade.

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Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: prin·ci·pal
Pronunciation: 'prin-s&-p&l
Function: adjective
1 : being the main or most important, consequential, or influential principal place of business> principal obligor>
2 : of, relating to, or constituting principal or a principal principal amount of the loan>

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Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: principal
Function: noun
1 : a participant in an action or transaction esp. having control or authority 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 esp. when constructively or actually present —see also ACCESSORY 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 principal> principal>; also : the main body of an estate, devise, or bequest

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Principal

Prin"ci*pal\, a. [F., from L. principalis. See Prince.]

1. Highest in rank, authority, character, importance, or degree; most considerable or important; chief; main; as, the principal officers of a Government; the principal men of a state; the principal productions of a country; the principal arguments in a case.

Wisdom is the principal thing. --Prov. iv. 7.

2. Of or pertaining to a prince; princely. [A Latinism] [Obs.] --Spenser.

Principal axis. See Axis of a curve, under Axis.

Principal axes of a quadric (Geom.), three lines in which the principal planes of the solid intersect two and two, as in an ellipsoid.

Principal challenge. (Law) See under Challenge.

Principal plane. See Plane of projection (a), under Plane.

Principal of a quadric (Geom.), three planes each of which is at right angles to the other two, and bisects all chords of the quadric perpendicular to the plane, as in an ellipsoid.

Principal point (Persp.), the projection of the point of sight upon the plane of projection.

Principal ray (Persp.), the line drawn through the point of sight perpendicular to the perspective plane.

Principal section (Crystallog.), a plane passing through the optical axis of a crystal.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Principal

Prin"ci*pal\, n. 1. A leader, chief, or head; one who takes the lead; one who acts independently, or who has controlling authority or influence; as, the principal of a faction, a school, a firm, etc.; -- distinguished from a subordinate, abettor, auxiliary, or assistant.

2. Hence: (Law) (a) The chief actor in a crime, or an abettor who is present at it, -- as distinguished from an accessory. (b) A chief obligor, promisor, or debtor, -- as distinguished from a surety. (c) One who employs another to act for him, -- as distinguished from an agent. --Wharton. --Bouvier. --Burrill.

3. A thing of chief or prime importance; something fundamental or especially conspicuous. Specifically: (a) (Com.) A capital sum of money, placed out at interest, due as a debt or used as a fund; -- so called in distinction from interest or profit. (b) (Arch. & Engin.) The construction which gives shape and strength to a roof, -- generally a truss of timber or iron, but there are roofs with stone principals. Also, loosely, the most important member of a piece of framing. (c) (Mus.) In English organs the chief open metallic stop, an octave above the open diapason. On the manual it is four feet long, on the pedal eight feet. In Germany this term corresponds to the English open diapason. (d) (O. Eng. Law) A heirloom; a mortuary. --Cowell. (e) pl. The first two long feathers of a hawk's wing. --Spenser. --J. H. Walsh. (f) One of turrets or pinnacles of waxwork and tapers with which the posts and center of a funeral hearse were formerly crowned. --Oxf. Gloss. (g) A principal or essential point or rule; a principle. [Obs.]

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