Noun (plural principles)
- A fundamental assumption.
- We need some sort of principles to reason from.
- A rule used to choose among solutions to a problem.
- The principle of least privilege holds that a process should only receive the permissions it needs.
- (usually in the plural) Moral rule or aspect.
- I don't doubt your principles; you are clearly a person of principle. It's the principle of the thing; I won't do business with someone I can't trust.
- (physics) A rule or law of nature, or the basic idea on how the laws of nature are applied.
- Bernoulli's principle; The Pauli Exclusion Principle prevents two fermions from occupying the same state. The principle of the internal combustion engine
- A fundamental essence, particularly one producing a given quality.
- Many believe that life is the result of some vital principle.
- A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.
- An original faculty or endowment.
Usage notes Principle is always a noun ("moral rule"), but it is often confused with principal, which can be an adjective ("most important") or a noun ("school principal"). Consult both definitions if in doubt.
Incorrect usage:
- He is the principle musician in the band
- She worked ten years as school principle
A mnemonic to avoid this confusion is "The principal alphabetic principle places A before E".
Verb (third-person singular simple present principles, present participle principling, simple past and past participle principled)
- To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet or rule of conduct.
Origin From Old French principe, from Latin principium (“beginning, foundation"), from princeps (“first"); see prince.
