Principal

prin′si-pal, adj. taking the first place: highest in rank, character, or importance: chief.— n. 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 it. ) a main beam or timber: ( law ) the person who commits a crime, or one who aids and abets him in doing it: a person for whom another becomes surety, a person who, being sui juris , employs another to do an act which he is competent himself to do: ( mus. ) an organ-stop: ( Shak. ) the principal rafter.— n. Principal′ity , supreme power: the territory of a prince or the country which gives title to him: ( B. ) a prince: ( obs. ) a power: ( pl. ) an order of angels, the seventh in the hierarchy of Dionysius.— adv. Prin′cipally .— ns. Prin′cipalne , the state of being principal or chief; Prin′cipalship , position of a principal; Prin′cipate , primary: a principality, esp. the office of the ancient Roman emperors. [L. principal is .]