Principal vs. Principle

Definitions

Question: Is the following sentence correct?

He finally addressed my principle concern.

The answer is NO. The word principal should have been used in the sentence above. If you got the answer wrong, you were probably taught that a principal is supposed to be one's PAL.

A principal IS the head of a school--that's true. But the word principal can also be an adjective that means main or most important--which makes sense when you think about it: The principal of a school is the most important figure in the school. So use principal whenever you mean most important. And remember that the word principle is a noun meaning rule or standard.

	Example of Principal
	Lack of interest was the principal reason for canceling the meeting.

	Examples of Principal and Principle
	After the bell rang, the students gathered in the auditorium to hear the principal speak about President Lincoln and the principle of leadership.