principal
/ˈprɪn.sɪ.pəl/(adjective)
AWL Sublist 4CEFR B2IELTS Band 7.0 - 9.0
Academic Definition
First in order of importance; main.
Key Academic Collocations
Click to copyWord Family & Derivatives
principalprincipally
Lexical Alternatives (Synonyms)
primaryforemostchiefpredominantcardinal
Academic Sample Sentences in Context
"Deforestation for cattle ranching was identified as the principal cause of habitat destruction across the basin."
"Petroleum products remained the principal export commodity, generating roughly 72% of foreign exchange earnings."
"The disparity in academic achievement was principally due to differences in funding and pupil-teacher ratios."
IELTS Examiner Scoring Strategy (Lexical Resource)
Spelling tip: 'principal' (adjective = main; noun = school head); 'principle' (noun = moral rule or fundamental truth).