Definition of 'principle'
Word forms: plural principles
1. variable noun [usually poss NOUN, adjective NOUN]
A principle is a general belief that you have about the way you should behave, which influences your behaviour.
2. countable noun [adjective NOUN]
3. countable noun [usually adjective NOUN]
4.
See in principle
5.
See in principle
6.
See on principle
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
principle
Word Frequency
principle in British English
noun
▶ USAGE Principle and principal are often confused: the principal (not principle) reason for his departure; the plan was approved in principle (not in principal)3.
it's not the money but the principle of the thing
torn between principle and expediency
7.
the principle of the conservation of mass
9. chemistry
a constituent of a substance that gives the substance its characteristics and behaviour
bitter principle
10. See in principle
11. See on principle
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C14: from Latin principium beginning, basic tenet
Word Frequency
Principle in British English
noun
Christian Science another word for God
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency
principle in American English
noun
1.
the ultimate source, origin, or cause of something
3.
moral principles
5.
the active principle of a medicine
Idioms:
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Examples of 'principle' in a sentence
principle
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Quotations
The most useful thing about a principle is that it can always be sacrificed to expediencyThe Circle
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principle
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In other languages
principle
British English: principle
/ˈprɪnsɪpl/ NOUN
A principle is a belief that you have about the way you should behave.
...moral principles.
- American English: principle /ˈprɪnsɪpəl/
- Arabic: مَبْدَأ
- Brazilian Portuguese: princípio fundamento
- Chinese: 原则
- Croatian: princip
- Czech: princip
- Danish: princip
- Dutch: principe
- European Spanish: principio concepto
- Finnish: periaate
- French: principe
- German: Prinzip
- Greek: αρχή ιδεολογία
- Italian: principio
- Japanese: 主義
- Korean: 원칙
- Norwegian: prinsipp
- Polish: zasada
- European Portuguese: princípio fundamento
- Romanian: principiu
- Russian: принцип
- Latin American Spanish: principio razón fundamental
- Swedish: princip
- Thai: หลักปฏิบัติ
- Turkish: ilke
- Ukrainian: принцип
- Vietnamese: nguyên tắc
Nearby words of
principle
Related terms of
principle
Source
Definition of principle from theCollins English Dictionary
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cymbal or symbol?
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A dove is a of peace.
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We walked around the three times.
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He ended up in place.
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Paint was starting to off the walls.
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attend court or reach court?
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consume energy or muster the energy?
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environmental damage or nerve damage?
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deny treatment or improve treatments?
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annual loss or sad loss?
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sad loss
annual loss
He is a very to journalism and the book world.
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