headmaster
Americannoun
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
The Night Diary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
I Will Always Write Back
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Al Capone Does My Shirts
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
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
Paul Cummins, headmaster of a Santa Monica elementary school called St. Augustine-by-the-Sea, was in the market for a music teacher and a colleague suggested he call a Rustic Canyon pianist named Mary Ann.
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
The youngsters join John Lithgow as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore, the school's key professors being played by Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall and Paapa Essiedu, as Severus Snape.
From BBC ● May 27, 2025
When we get back to school on Monday, I’m supposed to report directly to Miss McDaniels for a meeting with our headmaster.
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
She said headmasters at schools that received the meals from the same kitchen should monitor their pupils.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2025
Her portrait subjects have ranged from members of Congress to headmasters to historical figures.
From New York Times ● Sep. 7, 2022
"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
For several minutes, he sat and watched the old headmasters and headmistresses snoozing in their frames, thinking about what he had just heard, and running his fingers over his scar.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
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.
