Principle vs. Principal: What is the Difference?

Principle vs. principal is a dilemma you should not be having, so let's settle it once and for all. The words principle and principal are homophones. The words principle and principal are pronounced in the same way but they don't have the same meaning. In this post, you'll learn the difference between principle and principal.

(Homophone - a word that is pronounced like another word but is different in meaning, origin, or spelling)

Principle vs. Principal: What is the Difference?

Principle        /'prɪn.sə.pəl/

• [noun]  a basic general rule ,law or idea

• [noun] a moral rule or standard of good behaviour

Example:

1. It is a basic principle of English law that a person is innocent until proven guilty.

2. The institution works on the principle that all members have the same rights.

3. She seems to have absolutely no principles.

4. He is a man of principle.

Principal        /'prɪn.sə.pəl/

• [noun] the head of some schools, colleges, etc.

• [noun] an amount of money that is put in a bank or lent to someone and that can earn interest

• [adjective] first in order of importance

Example:

1. Dev is the principal of Apex High School.

2. Mani lives off the interest and tries to keep the principal intact.

3. She can't give up teaching, it's her principal source of income.

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