PRINCIPLE (noun)
A principle is a fundamental idea, belief, philosophy, or rule:
- My daughter is learning the basic principles of physics in her science class.
- Power in the hands of the people is one of the key principles of democracy.
- He would never steal from the company – he’s a man of high principles.
PRINCIPAL (noun, adjective)
The word principal has three meanings:
1. As an adjective: the main or most important
- The lake is the principal water source for the city.
2. As a noun: the director of an elementary, middle, or high school
- Students who misbehave are sent to the principal’s office.
3. As a noun (finance): the original amount of a debt (not counting the interest – the extra money that accumulates over time as the debt is not paid):
- At a 10% interest rate, a principal of $1,000 will accumulate $100 of interest.
