English → Latin
“principal” in Latin
prīncipālisfirst, original; chief, principalpraecipuusparticular, special; distinguished, preeminentpoteable, capable; is able; possible, feasible; (pote) it is possiblesuperusabove, upper, highermagnusgreat, large, big; (of things) vast, extensive, spacious (of physical size or quantity); great, grand, mighty, noble, loimprimōto press, impress; to print, imprint, stampmaximusbiggest, largest; loudest; unencumberedcaputthe head (of humans and animals); head; top; summit; point; end; extremity (beginning or end); origin; source; spring; hprī̆ncepsfirst, foremost; chief, distinguishedpraepōnōto place or set over as chief, commander, or superintendent; to place at the head of or entrust with the charge or comma
The English word principal itself goes back to Latin prīmus, through prīncipālis.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
principal adj.
primus, princeps, principalis (the first and most important; the latter post-Augustan): praecipuus (chief): potissimus (by far preferable, beyond comparison): summus, maximus (greatest): in a principal manner, praecipue: potissimum: imprimis, maxime.
principal s.
A chief person, caput: princeps: praepositus: praesul: principal of a college or school, gymnasiarchus.
Money laid out at interest, sors: caput: vivum (as opposed to “the interest”): pecuniae: nummi: res (money generally): that the woman’s principal might be safer, ut mulieri esset res cautior, etc. (Cic., Coecin., 4, 11): principal lying idle, pecuniae otiosae or vacuae, pecuniae steriles: the principal lies idle, pecuniae otiosae jacent: to live on the interest of principal de fenore vivere: to deduct what is owed from principal, aes alienum de capite deducere: to deduct from principal, de vivo detrahere: the interest due is greater than the principal, mergunt sortem usurae: principal arises from interest, sors fit ex usura.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for principal?
- The usual Latin words for “principal” are prīncipālis, praecipuus, pote; also superus, magnus, imprimō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.