“Principal” and “principle” are two similar terms that are very easy to confuse, and even experienced writers sometimes mix the two words up. In this article, we’ll examine the “principle vs principal” conundrum.
“Principal” can be used as a noun and as an adjective. When used as a noun, “principal” means the head or the chief of something. In American English, the word usually refers to the head, or principal, of a school and can be used as either a general noun or a title:
“Principal” can also be used as an adjective, meaning main or most important, or highest in rank or importance:
“Principal” has a different meaning in finances, where the word refers to money loaned or invested before interest is applied.
While “principal” can be both a noun and an adjective, “principle” is only used as a noun. “Principle” may be defined as a fundamental idea or belief or a rule of conduct. The noun usually has a moral connotation to its use, as rules of conduct and beliefs influence how people behave.
“Principle” can be used to indicate a fundamental belief or idea as follows:
Examples of “principle” as a moral belief that influences behavior include the following:
As you might guess, “principle” and “principal” derive from the same source, the Latin princeps, meaning first or original. “Principle” and “principal” didn’t come to English directly from Latin, however. The two words were adopted from different French sources and entered English at different times and as distinct words.
http://www.dictionary.com/e/principal-vs-principle/
http://grammarist.com/spelling/principle-principal/
http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2011/08/principle-or-principal/
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