headmaster
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
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.
The rest comes from supporters, including companies, said headmaster Stuart Worden.
From Barron's • Apr. 27, 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
Malcolm lifted his head and looked at the woman, who seemed to be looking straight back at him, so he felt horribly uneasy for a moment; but then she turned to the headmaster.
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
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.
