# principle

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pəl/ · frequency rank #4,037

## Definitions
1. A fundamental assumption or guiding belief.
2. A rule used to choose among solutions to a problem.
3. Moral rule or aspect.
4. A rule or law of nature, or the basic idea on how the laws of nature are applied.
5. A fundamental essence, particularly one producing a given quality.
6. A fundamental essence, particularly one producing a given quality.
7. A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.
8. An original faculty or endowment.
9. Misspelling of principal.
10. A beginning.

## Etymology
From Middle English principle, from Old French principe, from Latin prīncipium (“beginning, foundation”), from prīnceps (“first”). By surface analysis, prīmus (“first”) + -ceps (“catcher”); the former ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- (“before”); see also prince.

## Easily confused with
- **principles** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/principle-vs-principles)
- **principled** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/principle-vs-principled)
- **principal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/principal-vs-principle)

## Common misspellings (14)
`pirnciple`, `pprinciple`, `pricniple`, `princciple`, `princilpe`, `principel`, `principlle`, `principple`, `princpile`, `prinicple`, `prinnciple`, `prniciple`, `prrinciple`, `rpinciple`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/principle