c. 1300, "main, principal, chief, dominant, most important;" also "great, large," from Old French principal "main, most important," of persons, "princely, high-ranking" (11c.), from Latin principalis "first in importance; original, primitive," from princeps "first man, chief, leader" (see prince).
principal (n.)
c. 1300, "ruler, governor;" also "main part;" from principal (adj.) or from or influenced by noun uses in Old French and Latin. From mid-14c. in the sense of "money on which interest is paid;" 1827 as "person in charge of a public school," though meaning "head of a college or hall" was in English from mid-15c.
权威例句
1. The two principal combustion products are water vapor and carbon dioxide.
两种主要的燃烧产物是水蒸气和二氧化碳。
2. City's principal marksman was Joe Harvey who scored seventeen goals.
市队的头号射手是打进17粒进球的乔·哈维。
3. The students passed a motion of no-confidence in the college principal.
学生们通过了对校长进行不信任投票的动议。
4. Donald King is the principal of Dartmouth High School.
唐纳德·金是达特茅斯中学的校长。
5. Stoppard had to recast four of the principal roles.