A 最重要的，主要的highest in importance or position; main; chief

　～ food　主要食物
　～ interest　本利
　～ offender　主犯
　～ sum　本金

　Drinking is a principal cause of highway deaths.　酗酒是公路死亡事故的最重要的原因。
　She has been the principal dancer in our ballet for ten years.　十年来她一直是我们芭蕾舞团的台柱演员。

 ♣ principal, capital, chief, main
　参见capital条。

1. C 负责人，校长　the head of some universities, colleges and schools
2. S 资本，本金　an amount of money lent, put into a business, etc. and on which interest is paid
3. P 被代理人，委托人　person for whom another acts as his agent
4. C 主犯　person directly responsible for a crime

　consult the ～　与委托人商量
　pay off the ～ and interest　付清本息
　school ～　校长
　as a ～　作为主犯
　～ in the first degree　主犯
　the ～ of college　学院院长

　He is the principal of this school.　他是该学校的校长。
　There is a shortage of principal.　资金有些短缺。
　I must consult my principals.　我得同委托人商量一下。

 ♣ principal, director, headmaster, president, schoolmaster
　参见director条。

　［同义词］ adj. capital, chief, first, main, primary n. dean, headmaster
　［反义词］ adj. least, minor
　［词源］古法语<拉丁语principalis（主要的）