Principal
easyNeutral tonePRIN-sih-pul
adjective/noun
Definition
First in order of importance; main; the head of a school
Memory hook
The PRINCIPAL is your PAL who's the PRINCE of the school — the chief or main one.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The principal reason for the delay was funding.”
“The principal addressed the students at assembly.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The ______ reason for the delay was funding.”
Show answer
principal
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Principal is a easy-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "chief" or "primary" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "secondary".
Related GRE Words
paramount
More important than anything else; supreme
eminent
Famous and respected within a particular field; outstanding
preeminent
Surpassing all others; very distinguished in some way
inconsequential
of little importance; trivial
pioneering
Involving new ideas or methods
signal
(adjective) Notably or conspicuously outstanding
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