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Synonyms

headmaster

American  
[hed-mas-ter, -mah-ster] / ˈhɛdˈmæs tər, -ˈmɑ stər /

noun

  1. the person in charge of a private school.


headmaster British  
/ ˌhɛdˈmɑːstə /

noun

  1. Gender-neutral form: head teacher.  a male principal of a school

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • headmastership noun

Etymology

Origin of headmaster

First recorded in 1570–80; head + master

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.

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

Collins, born in 1940, was raised near Liverpool by a schoolteacher mother and a headmaster father.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 6, 2025

The network also confirmed John Lithgow's announcement in February that he will play Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2025

Until then, the most powerful people I’d met were the headmaster of the school and the elders in my village, and there I was sitting with the most powerful man in Kenya.

From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola