Principle (Noun)

Meaning ¹

A rule or standard especially of good behavior; "a man of principle"; "he will not violate his principles".

Classification

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.

Hyponyms

• Judicial Principle
• Moral Principle
• Knightliness
• Judicial Doctrine
• Accounting Standard
• Value Orientation
• Value-system

Meaning ²

A basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct; "their principles of composition characterized all their works".

Classification

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.

Examples

• The company's principle of fairness and equality guided their hiring practices.
• Her personal principle of honesty led her to return the wallet she found on the street.
• The principle of supply and demand is a fundamental concept in economics.
• The artist's use of color was guided by the principle of contrast and harmony.
• The principle of nonviolence was a core tenet of the civil rights movement.

Synonyms

• Rule

Hypernyms

• Generalisation
• Generality

Meaning ³

A basic truth or law or assumption; "the principles of democracy".

Classification

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.

Hypernyms

• Natural Law

Hyponyms

• Bedrock
• Basic Principle
• Pleasure-pain Principle
• Fundamental Principle
• Pleasure-unpleasure Principle
• Basics

Meaning ⁴

Rule of personal conduct.

Classification

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.

Synonyms

• Precept

Hypernyms

• Prescript

Meaning ⁵

A rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system; "the principle of the conservation of mass"; "the principle of jet propulsion"; "the right-hand rule for inductive fields".

Classification

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.

Synonyms

• Rule

Hypernyms

• Law Of Nature

Hyponyms

• Localisation Principle
• Huygens' Principle Of Superposition
• Localisation Of Function
• Mass Action
• Localization Principle
• Le Chatelier-Braun Principle
• Law Of Parsimony
• Localisation
• Le Chatelier's Law
• Superposition Principle
• Localization
• Ockham's Razor
• Principle Of Parsimony
• Superposition
• Gestalt Principle Of Organization
• Le Chatelier Principle

Meaning ⁶

(law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature); "the rationale for capital punishment"; "the principles of internal-combustion engines".

Classification

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.

Synonyms

• Rationale

Hypernyms

• Explanation

Hyponyms

• Dialectics