Dictionary.net

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"

capital as contrasted with the income derived from it

an actor who plays a principal role

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"

capital as contrasted with the income derived from it

an actor who plays a principal role

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.

Of or pertaining to a prince; princely.

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.

The chief actor in a crime, or an abettor who is present at it, -- as distinguished from an accessory.

A chief obligor, promisor, or debtor, -- as distinguished from a surety.

One who employs another to act for him, -- as distinguished from an agent.

A thing of chief or prime importance; something fundamental or especially conspicuous.

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.

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.

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.

A heirloom; a mortuary.

The first two long feathers of a hawk's wing.

One of turrets or pinnacles of waxwork and tapers with which the posts and center of a funeral hearse were formerly crowned.

A principal or essential point or rule; a principle.

When creating a power of attorney or other legal document, the person who appoints an attorney-in-fact or agent to act on his or her behalf. In criminal law, the main perpetrator of a crime. In commercial law, the total amount of a loan, not including any capitalized fees or interest. In the law of trusts, the property of the trust, as opposed to the income generated by that property. The principal is also known as the trust corpus; that's Latin for "body." For example, Arthur establishes a new trust with $100,000, with interest and other income payable to Merlin; the $100,000 is the trust principal or corpus.

First or highest in rank, value, character, degree, or importance; most important; main; chief.

The chief in authority; head of a firm or school; a sum of money drawing interest.

Principally.

Principally.

Taking the first place: highest in character or importance: chief.

A principal person or thing: a head, as of a school or college: one who takes a leading part: money on which interest is paid: (arch.) a main beam or timber: (law) the perpetrator of a crime, or an abettor: (music) an organ stop.

Principally.

Chief.

Property or capital; a sum on which interest accrues.

A chief person; head; money on which interest is paid.

Chief.

n. A chief or head ; one who takes the lead ; specifically, one who possesses or exercises chief authority ;-the head of a university ;¬the chief actor in a crime, as distinguished from an accessory; a chief obligor, promisor, or debtor, as distinguished from a surety; one who employs another to act for him, as distinguished from an agent ;-a thing of chief or prime consequence ;-a capital sum of money, placed out at interest, due as a debt or used as a fund ;-in music, an organ stop.