Tra từ principal - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

prin·ci·pal AW [principal principals] adjective, noun BrE [ˈprɪnsəpl] NAmE [ˈprɪnsəpl]
adjective only before noun
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.

Word Origin:
Middle English: via Old French from Latin principalis ‘first, original’, from princeps, princip- ‘first, chief’.

Synonyms:
main
major • key • central • principal • chief • prime
These words all describe sb/sth that is the largest or most important of its kind.
main • [only before noun] largest or most important: ▪ Be careful crossing the main road. ◇ ▪ The main thing is to remain calm.
major • [usually before noun] very large or important: ▪ He played a major role in setting up the system.
Major is most often used after a with a singular noun, or no article with a plural noun. When it is used with the or my/your/his/her/our/their it means ‘the largest or most important’: ▪ Our major concern here is combatting poverty. In this meaning it is only used to talk about ideas or worries that people have, not physical things, and it is also more formal than main: Be careful crossing the major road. ◇ The major thing is to remain calm.
key • [usually before noun] most important; essential: ▪ He was a key figure in the campaign.
Key is used most frequently in business and political contexts. It can be used to talk about ideas, or the part that sb plays in a situation, but not physical things. It is slightly more informal than major, especially when used after a noun and linking verb: ▪ Speed is key at this point.
central • (rather formal) most important: ▪ The central issue is that of widespread racism.
Central is used in a similar way to key, but is more formal. It is most frequently used in the phrase sth is central to sth else.
principal • [only before noun] (rather formal) most important: ▪ The principal reason for this omission is lack of time.
Principal is mostly used for statements of fact about which there can be no argument. To state an opinion, or to try to persuade sb of the facts as you see them, it is more usual to use key or central: ▪ The key/central issue here is…
chief • [only before noun] (rather formal) most important: ▪ Unemployment was the chief cause of poverty.
prime • [only before noun] (rather formal) most important; to be considered first: ▪ My prime concern is to protect my property.
a/the main/major/key/central/principal/chief/prime aim/concern
a/the main/major/principal road/town/city
the main/key thing is to…
to be of major/key/central/prime importance

Example Bank:
•New roads will link the principal cities.

noun
1. (BrE)the person who is in charge of a college or a university
•Peter Brown, principal of St John's College
see also ↑dean
2. (NAmE) (BrE ˌhead ˈteacher)a teacher who is in charge of a school
•Principal Ray Smith
3. usually singular (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.

Word Origin:
Middle English: via Old French from Latin principalis ‘first, original’, from princeps, princip- ‘first, chief’.

Example Bank:
•She was appointed as the first principal of Cambridge Training College.
•The college principal says he's pleased with this year's results.
•The principal must be repaid in full within ten years.
•The regulations have been opposed by local high school principals.

See also: ↑head teacher