principal

Universal Words adjective, noun adjective [onlybeforenoun] most important; main: The principal reason for this omission is lack of time. * New roads will link the principal cities of the area. * Tourist revenue is now our principal source of wealth. * My principal concern is to get the job done fast. * The violins have the principal tune. noun 1 (BrE) the person who is in charge of a college or a university: Peter Brown, principal of St John's college seealsoDEAN 2 (AmE) = HEADTEACHER: Principal Ray Smith 3 [usuallysing.] (finance) an amount of money that you lend to sb or invest to earn interest 4 the person who has the most important part in a play, an opera, etc: The performance of the two principals is disappointing. 5 (technical) a person that you are representing, especially in business or law: The shareholders are principals and the managers are agents.