Akademik

Principal
(1) The total amount of money being borrowed or lent. (2) The party affected by agent decisions in a principal-agent relationship. The New York Times Financial Glossary

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I. principal prin‧ci‧pal 1 [ˈprɪnspl] noun
1. [singular] FINANCE the original amount of a loan, not including any of the interest that is paid:

• The loan amounts outstanding totaled about $32.2 million in principal and $2.2 million in interest.

• No principal is due for repayment until next year.

2. [countable] an important person, manager etc in some types of organization, who may be legally responsible for its actions:

• Mr O'Brien is a principal of the Law and Economics Consulting Group.

3. [countable] LAW the actual buyer and the seller in a business deal, rather than the people who represent them, or broker S who buy and sell for them:

• None of the principals would comment on the purchase price.

  [m0] II. principal principal 2 adjective
1. most important; =main:

• Portland is one of the principal unloading points for Japanese automobiles.

• Gulf's strategy of concentrating on its principal business of oil and gas production

• As principal shareholders in the company, no one has a greater interest in its management.

• Baxter Healthcare is the principal subsidiary of Baxter International Inc. (= the largest company owned by them ) .

2. FINANCE relating to the original amount of a loan, rather than any interest:

• The total principal amount of debentures being sold was increased to $75 million.

• A new government may be unwilling to repay interest on the principal sum loaned.

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   The total amount borrowed or invested, e.g. the face amount of a bond bought by an investor. Also, the originator or prime mover in a financial deal, on whose behalf brokers act as agents.
   ► See also Broker.

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Ⅰ.
principal UK US /ˈprɪnsəpəl/ adjective
first in order of importance: »

Iraq's principal export is oil.

»

Nigeria remains the country's principal economic partner.

FINANCE, ECONOMICS relating to an amount of money lent or borrowed, rather than to the interest paid on it: »

Shares of these funds involve investment risk, including the possible loss of the principal amount invested.

Ⅱ.
principal UK US /ˈprɪnsəpəl/ noun
[C usually singular] FINANCE an amount of money lent or borrowed, rather than the interest paid on it: »

She lives off the interest and tries to keep the principal intact.

»

These bonds involve the risk that the issuing company may be unable to pay interest or repay principal.

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The money is secured by the borrower's home, which is sold after the borrower's death to pay off the interest and principal.

[C] LAW a person who is directly involved in an arrangement, agreement, etc., rather than someone acting for that person: »

Once the principals sign the necessary papers the deal will be done.

[C] LAW a person who has legal responsibility for what a business or organization does: »

I later became a principal at an investment banking firm.


Financial and business terms. 2012.