headmaster
Americannoun
-
headmasters
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of headmaster
Explanation
A headmaster is the principal of a private school. Your prep school headmaster might have also taught your favorite English class. The head of a school, especially if the school is in Britain or is private or a boarding school, is called a headmaster. The headmaster is often in charge of discipline as well as the running of the school. It's common these days to use the term head teacher rather than headmaster, since it includes both male and female principals. The word headmaster has been around since the 1570's.
Vocabulary lists containing headmaster
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He said he was also fortunate that his headmaster at school encouraged him down the path of music.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
Teenagers arrive for their day smiling, greeting teachers and the headmaster as they make their way through the corridors.
From Barron's ● Apr. 27, 2026
She approached the headmaster at her conservatory who placed her in a string ensemble before advancing her to the symphony orchestra as a violinist.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026
Founders’ headmaster Jason Caros rejects the allegation of “Christian nationalism” but argues that there is much to be said for those traditional values, pedagogy and curriculum.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 9, 2026
I e-mailed the headmaster of Saint Augustine’s yesterday.
From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy
She said headmasters at schools that received the meals from the same kitchen should monitor their pupils.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2025
"You got to know his headmasters and his teachers very well because you were always getting phone calls to come and explain," his father laughs.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2022
“This program helps to meet the need for trained headmasters by providing administrative training as part of the offered coursework.”
From Washington Times ● Apr. 13, 2022
“Sometimes headmasters tell us that they don’t quite understand how the policy works and they refuse to admit the children,” she said.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 11, 2022
Larger posters were placed next to the black-and-white photos of previous headmasters that hung in the schoolhouse hallways.
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
