Principal vs. Principle: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Published on November 8, 2023
"Principal" refers to a chief person or amount, while "Principle" denotes a fundamental truth or belief.
Key Differences
"Principal" is primarily used as a noun, but can also be an adjective. As a noun, it often denotes the head of an educational institution or a sum of money that was originally invested, excluding any interest. For instance, a school principal oversees educational activities, whereas a loan's principal is the initial amount borrowed before interest accrues.
"Principle," exclusively a noun, designates a basic truth, rule, or standard governing behavior or the functioning of something. This could range from ethical beliefs to scientific laws. For instance, one might live by the principle of honesty or study the principles underlying physics.
It's essential not to confuse these terms based on their phonetic similarities. While "Principal" is about precedence, leadership, or primary importance, "Principle" revolves around foundational concepts, doctrines, or values. If you're discussing ethics or basic truths, "Principle" is apt. But if you're referencing leadership roles or primary sums of money, "Principal" is the correct choice.
A mnemonic often employed to differentiate the two is: "The school principal is your 'pal.'" This can serve as a quick reminder that "Principal," with an "a," is associated with a person, whereas "Principle" is associated with a standard or belief.
Despite their differences, both words serve crucial roles in language, conveying distinct meanings. Accurate usage ensures clarity in communication, especially in contexts like education, finance, ethics, and science.
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Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Mostly noun, occasionally adjective
Exclusively noun
Meaning
Chief person/amount, main
Basic truth, rule, or standard
Usage
"School principal" or "principal amount"
"Moral principle" or "scientific principle"
Associated Field
Education, Finance
Ethics, Science
Mnemonic
The school principal is your "pal."
Principles are fundamental truths.
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Principal and Principle Definitions
Principal
Head of a school
The principal announced a holiday for tomorrow.
Principle
Source or origin
The principle of this device is simple.
Principal
Primary in importance
The principal concern is safety.
Principle
A basic truth, law, or assumption
The principles of democracy.
Principal
First or highest in rank or importance.
Principle
A rule or standard, especially of good behavior
A man of principle.
Principal
Of, relating to, or being financial principal, or a principal in a financial transaction.
Principle
The collectivity of moral or ethical standards or judgments
A decision based on principle rather than expediency.
Principal
One who holds a position of presiding rank, especially the head of an elementary school, middle school, or high school.
Principle
A fixed or predetermined policy or mode of action.
Principal
A main participant in a situation, especially a financial transaction.
Principle
A basic or essential quality or element determining intrinsic nature or characteristic behavior
The principle of self-preservation.
Principal
A person having a leading or starring role in a performance, such as the first player in a section of an orchestra.
Principle
A rule or law concerning the functioning of natural phenomena or mechanical processes
The principle of jet propulsion.
Principal
An amount of capital originally borrowed or invested, as opposed to the interest paid or accruing on it.
Principle
(Chemistry) One of the elements that compose a substance, especially one that gives some special quality or effect.
Principal
The most significant part of an estate, as opposed to minor or incidental components.
Principle
A basic source. See Usage Note at principal.
Principal
The person on behalf of whom an agent acts.
Principle
A fundamental assumption or guiding belief.
We need some sort of principles to reason from.
Principal
The person having prime responsibility for an obligation as distinguished from one who acts as surety or as an endorser.
Principle
A rule used to choose among solutions to a problem.
The principle of least privilege holds that a process should only receive the permissions it needs.
Principal
The main actor in the perpetration of a crime.
Principle
Moral rule or aspect.
I don't doubt your principles.
You are clearly a person of principle.
It's the principle of the thing; I won't do business with someone I can't trust.
Principal
(Architecture) Either of a pair of inclined timbers forming the sides of a triangular truss for a pitched roof.
Principle
(physics) A rule or law of nature, or the basic idea on how the laws of nature are applied.
Bernoulli's Principle
The Pauli Exclusion Principle prevents two fermions from occupying the same state.
The principle of the internal combustion engine
Principal
Primary; most important; first level in importance.
Smith is the principal architect of this design.
The principal cause of the failure was poor planning.
Principle
A fundamental essence, particularly one producing a given quality.
Many believe that life is the result of some vital principle.
Principal
Of or relating to a prince; princely.
Principle
A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.
Principal
(mathematics) Chosen or assumed among a branch of possible values of a multi-valued function so that the function is single-valued.
Two is the principal square root of 4. Both −2 and +2 are square roots of 4.
Principle
An original faculty or endowment.
Principal
The money originally invested or loaned, on which basis interest and returns are calculated.
A portion of your mortgage payment goes to reduce the principal, and the rest covers interest.
Principle
Misspelling of principal
Principal
The chief administrator of a school.
Principle
(obsolete) A beginning.
Principal
The chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college.
Principle
(transitive) To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet or rule of conduct.
Principal
(legal) A legal person that authorizes another (the agent) to act on their behalf; or on whose behalf an agent or gestor in a negotiorum gestio acts.
When an attorney represents a client, the client is the principal who permits the attorney, the client′s agent, to act on the client′s behalf.
My principal sells metal shims.
Principle
Beginning; commencement.
Doubting sad end of principle unsound.
Principal
(legal) The primary participant in a crime.
Principle
A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.
The soul of man is an active principle.
Principal
(North America) A partner or owner of a business.
Principle
An original faculty or endowment.
Nature in your principles hath set [benignity].
Those active principles whose direct and ultimate object is the communication either of enjoyment or suffering.
Principal
(music) A diapason, a type of organ stop on a pipe organ.
Principle
A fundamental truth; a comprehensive law or doctrine, from which others are derived, or on which others are founded; a general truth; an elementary proposition; a maxim; an axiom; a postulate.
Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.
A good principle, not rightly understood, may prove as hurtful as a bad.
Principal
The construction that gives shape and strength to a roof, generally a truss of timber or iron; or, loosely, the most important member of a piece of framing.
Principle
A settled rule of action; a governing law of conduct; an opinion or belief which exercises a directing influence on the life and behavior; a rule (usually, a right rule) of conduct consistently directing one's actions; as, a person of no principle.
All kinds of dishonesty destroy our pretenses to an honest principle of mind.
Principal
The first two long feathers of a hawk's wing.
Principle
Any original inherent constituent which characterizes a substance, or gives it its essential properties, and which can usually be separated by analysis; - applied especially to drugs, plant extracts, etc.
Cathartine is the bitter, purgative principle of senna.
Principal
One of the turrets or pinnacles of waxwork and tapers with which the posts and centre of a funeral hearse were formerly crowned
Principle
To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet, or rule of conduct, good or ill.
Governors should be well principled.
Let an enthusiast be principled that he or his teacher is inspired.
Principal
(obsolete) An essential point or rule; a principle.
Principle
A basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct;
Their principles of composition characterized all their works
Principal
A dancer at the highest rank within a professional dance company, particularly a ballet company.
Principle
A rule or standard especially of good behavior;
A man of principle
He will not violate his principles
Principal
(computing) A security principal.
Principle
A basic truth or law or assumption;
The principles of democracy
Principal
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.
Principle
A rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system;
The principle of the conservation of mass
The principle of jet propulsion
The right-hand rule for inductive fields
Principal
Of or pertaining to a prince; princely.
Principle
Rule of personal conduct
Principal
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.
Principle
(law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature);
The rationale for capital punishment
The principles of internal-combustion engines
Principal
The chief actor in a crime, or an abettor who is present at it, - as distinguished from an accessory.
Principle
Moral standard
She won't lie; it's against her principles.
Principal
A thing of chief or prime importance; something fundamental or especially conspicuous.
Principle
Fundamental truth
Gravity is a basic principle of physics.
Principal
The original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated
Principle
Guiding sense
The company operates on the principle of fairness.
Principal
The educator who has executive authority for a school;
She sent unruly pupils to see the principal
Principle
Basic doctrine
Freedom is a foundational principle of democracy.
Principal
An actor who plays a principal role
Principal
Capital as contrasted with the income derived from it
Principal
The major party to a financial transaction at a stock exchange; buys and sells for his own account
Principal
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
Principal
Capital sum of money
He repaid the principal but not the interest.
Principal
Leading performer
She is the principal dancer in the ballet.
Principal
Chief or main
The principal reason for our success is teamwork.
FAQs
Can "Principal" denote money?
Yes, as in the principal sum of a loan.
Which term refers to moral values?
Principle.
Is "Principle" ever an adjective?
No, it's solely a noun.
Can a "Principle" change?
Principles are typically steadfast, but personal beliefs can evolve.
Can "Principal" be used as an adjective?
Yes, as in "principal reason."
Can both terms refer to something primary?
Yes, but "Principal" often means chief/main, while "Principle" means foundational truth.
Which word relates to a school leader?
Principal.
Can there be multiple school principals?
Yes, larger institutions may have multiple principals or vice-principals.
How can I remember the difference?
Recall the mnemonic: the school principal is your "pal."
Can a city's main street be called "Principal Street"?
Yes, "Principal" can denote the main or chief.
Can businesses have principles?
Yes, often referred to as their core values or guiding beliefs.
Can principles be personal?
Absolutely, individuals often have their own guiding beliefs or principles.
Is "Principle" related to scientific laws?
Yes, as foundational truths.
Is "Principal" always about leadership?
Not always; it can also mean main or primary.
Can "Principal" relate to roles outside schools?
Yes, it can denote leading figures in various fields.
Is the principal amount the same as total repayable?
No, it excludes interest or additional fees.
Is a school's "Principal" always an educator?
Typically, but they primarily focus on administrative tasks.
Do all sciences have principles?
Yes, foundational truths or laws are present in every scientific field.
Are principles always ethical?
No, they can be scientific, ethical, or general truths.
Are principles universally agreed upon?
Not always; they can vary across cultures or individuals.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
