Principal vs Principle | Definition & Examples
Both principle and principal have the same pronunciation but their meanings are different.
- Principal can be used as a noun to refer to someone in authority, someone who commits a crime, and the capital portion of a loan. As an adjective it means “primary” or “most important.”
- Principle is also a noun, and it refers to standards or rules, especially in law, science, or ethics.
| Examples: Principal in a sentence | Examples: Principle in a sentence |
|---|---|
| The school principal was very popular with both students and faculty. | As a matter of principle, Jenny never used the self-service checkout. |
| The report’s principal conclusions were later questioned by critics. | The scientific principle of conservation of mass states that matter cannot be created or destroyed. |
Principal as a noun
Principal as a noun can refer to the person in charge of an organization. It is commonly used to refer to the leader of a school, but it is also used in the arts and legal settings.
Someone who is the main actor in the commission of a crime can also be known as the principal.
In financial contexts, principal refers to the capital portion of a loan.
Principal as an adjective
As an adjective, principal means the “most important” or “primary” thing. In financial contexts it can refer to an original amount of money.
When they took out the loan, the principal amount was five thousand dollars.
Principle is a noun
A principle is a scientific, natural, or legal standard or rule. It is also a moral standard held individually or in general.
David was prepared to stand by his principles, whatever the cost to his career.
In principle or in principal
In principle is a commonly used phrase which means “in theory.” It is used when a general idea or plan has been agreed on, but the details have yet to be determined. “In principal” is incorrect.
- The two sides couldn’t even agree in principle on the next steps.
- The two sides couldn’t even agree in principal on the next steps.
Frequently asked questions about principal vs principle
- How do you spell principal?
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Principal is a noun or an adjective. Often it gets confused with principle but the meanings are not the same.
- Principal as a noun means a person in charge (e.g. the principal of a school), someone who commits a crime, or the capital portion of a loan.
- Principal as an adjective is a synonym for “primary” or “most important.”
- Principle is a noun that refers to a rule or a standard that governs behavior or guides understanding (e.g., in law, science, or ethics).
- What does principal mean?
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Principal is a noun that can refer to refer to several things:
- The leader of an organization (e.g., the principal of the school)
- The part of a loan which is the capital sum (e.g., the principal was two thousand dollars)
- The perpetrator of a crime (e.g., he was identified as the principal in the burglary)
Principal is also an adjective meaning “main” or “most important” (e.g., Running out of money was my principal concern on holiday last year).
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- What does principle mean?
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Principle is a noun that describes a rule or standard in science or the law (e.g., “It is a fundamental principle of law that a person is innocent until proven guilty”), or personal and public ethics (e.g., “Olga decided not to take the job as the company’s practices went against her principles”).
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