definitions

principium

[ prin-sip-ee-uh m ]
/ prɪnˈsɪp i əm /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR principium ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural prin·cip·i·a [prin-sip-ee-uh] /prɪnˈsɪp i ə/.

a principle.

RELATED CONTENT

Principal vs. PrincipleIs the head of a school called a principal or a principle? These two words are frustratingly similar, leaving even the most experienced English speakers to second-guess which word means what. Today, we’ll discuss the distinct meanings between these easy-to-confuse terms and a little trick to help differentiate between your principals and your principles. What is a principal? A principal is “a chief or head, …
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

regulation, proposal, rule, ethic, foundation, doctrine, basis, truth, proposition, precept, assumption, fundamental, convention, axiom, component, element, principle, factor, law, cornerstone

Nearby words

principality, principally, principate, principe, principia, principium, principle, principle of complementarity, principle of economy, principle of indifference, principle of least action

Origin of principium

1575–85; < Latin prīncipium literally, that which is first, equivalent to prīncip- (see prince) + -ium -ium
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for principium

British Dictionary definitions for principium

principium

/ (prɪnˈsɪpɪəm) /

noun plural -ia (-ɪə)

(usually plural) a principle, esp a fundamental one

Word Origin for principium

C17: Latin: an origin, beginning
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