principle

B1 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈprɪnsəpəl/ UK /ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pəl/ See IPA manual

Homophones

principal /ˈprɪnsəpəl/

Freq #4997

Meanings

1

noun
A basic truth or rule that explains how something works or guides how you act.

The teacher explained the basic principles of democracy.
2

noun
A personal rule about right and wrong that guides your behaviour.

She refused the bribe because it went against her principles.
3

noun
A scientific law describing how something in nature behaves.

The principle of conservation of mass states that matter is not created or destroyed.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a basic truth or rule that... rule premise

2 noun · a personal rule about right... tenet

3 noun · a scientific law describing... rule

Word family

Forms principlesunprincipled

Derived forms antiprinciplecounterprinciplemetaprincipleprincipledprinciplismprinciplistq-principler-principlesubprincipleunprinciple

Related forms prince principal principality

Appears in

Phrases (3)

See all

Etymology

From Middle English principle, from Old French principe, from Latin prīncipium (“beginning, foundation”), from prīnceps (“first”). By surface analysis, prīmus (“first”) + -ceps (“catcher”); the former ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- (“before”); see also prince.

*keh₂p- Proto-Indo-European principle Middle English principe Old French prīncipium Latin *preh₂- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# principle

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈprɪnsəpəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pəl/
**Frequency rank:** 4997

## Meanings
1. A basic truth or rule that explains how something works or guides how you act.
2. A personal rule about right and wrong that guides your behaviour.
3. A scientific law describing how something in nature behaves.

## Examples
- The teacher explained the basic principles of democracy.
- She refused the bribe because it went against her principles.
- The principle of conservation of mass states that matter is not created or destroyed.

## Derived Forms
- antiprinciple
- counterprinciple
- metaprinciple
- principled
- principlism
- principlist
- q-principle
- r-principle
- subprinciple
- unprinciple

## Related Forms
- prince
- principal
- principality

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *keh₂p-
- Root: principle
- Root: principe
- Root: prīncipium
- Root: *preh₂-

## Etymology
From Middle English principle, from Old French principe, from Latin prīncipium (“beginning, foundation”), from prīnceps (“first”). By surface analysis, prīmus (“first”) + -ceps (“catcher”); the former ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- (“before”); see also prince.

## AI Etymology
Principle comes from Middle English principle, from Old French principe, from Latin prīncipium (“beginning, foundation”), from prīnceps (“first”). By surface analysis, prīmus (“first”) + -ceps (“catcher”); the former ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- (“before”); see also prince. In present-day English it covers a basic truth or rule that explains how something works or guides how you act, a personal rule about right and wrong that guides your behaviour, and a scientific law describing how something in nature behaves. The wider family includes derived forms such as antiprinciple, counterprinciple, metaprinciple, principled, principlism and related forms such as prince, principal, principality.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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