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:
"For our students, the Fitzroy is first and foremost their home water," says Phillip Moulds, headmaster of The Rockhampton Grammar School.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 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
The longtime teacher, headmaster and arts advocate is still involved with schools he helped launch after Crossroads, including Camino Nuevo Charter and the Tree Academy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 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
Mad-Eye Moody was standing there, leaning heavily on his staff, his magical eye glaring unblink- ingly at the Durmstrang headmaster.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
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
“One of the greatest challenges that classical Christian schools and classical charter schools face today is finding qualified headmasters and administrators,” said David Diener, former Hillsdale Academy headmaster and education lecturing professor.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 13, 2022
The spokeswoman says all former Choate headmasters receive the life trustee designation.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 29, 2017
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.
