PRINCIPLE

noun see: prince Date: 14th century 1. a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption, b. a rule or code of conduct, habitual devotion to right ~s , the laws or facts of nature underlying the working of an artificial device, a primary source ; origin , 3. an underlying faculty or endowment , an ingredient (as a chemical) that exhibits or imparts a characteristic quality, a divine ~ ; god , Usage: Although nearly every handbook and many dictionaries warn against confusing ~ and principal, many people still do. Principle is only a noun; principal is both adjective and noun. If you are unsure which noun you want, read the definitions in this dictionary.