The difference between Accessory and Principal

When used as nouns, accessory means something that belongs to part of another main thing, whereas principal means the money originally invested or loaned, on which basis interest and returns are calculated.

When used as adjectives, accessory means having a secondary, supplementary or subordinate function by accompanying as a subordinate, whereas principal means primary.

check bellow for the other definitions of Accessory and Principal

  1. Accessory as an adjective:

    Having a secondary, supplementary or subordinate function by accompanying as a subordinate; aiding in a secondary way; being additional; being connected as an incident or subordinate to a principal; contributing or being contributory. Said of people and things, and, when of people, usually in a bad sense

    Examples:

    "She was accessory to the riot."

    "'accessory sounds in music"

  2. Accessory as an adjective (legal):

    Assisting a crime without actually participating in committing the crime itself.

  3. Accessory as an adjective:

    Present in a minor amount, and not essential.

  1. Accessory as a noun:

    Something that belongs to part of another main thing; something additional and subordinate, an attachment.

    Examples:

    "the accessories of a mobile phone"

  2. Accessory as a noun (fashion):

    An article that completes one's basic outfit, such as a scarf or gloves.

  3. Accessory as a noun (legal):

    A person who is not present at a crime, but contributes to it as an assistant or instigator.

  4. Accessory as a noun (art):

    Something in a work of art without being indispensably necessary, for example solely ornamental parts.

  1. Principal as an adjective:

    Primary; most important.

    Examples:

    "Smith is the principal architect of this design."

    "The principal cause of the failure was poor planning."

  2. Principal as an adjective (obsolete, Latinism):

    Of or relating to a prince; princely.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Edmund Spenser"

  1. Principal as a noun (finance, uncountable):

    The money originally invested or loaned, on which basis interest and returns are calculated.

    Examples:

    "A portion of your mortgage payment goes to reduce the principal, and the rest covers interest."

  2. Principal as a noun (North America, Australia, New Zealand):

    The chief administrator of a school.

  3. Principal as a noun (UK, Canada):

    The chief executive and chief academic officer of a university or college.

  4. Principal as a noun (legal):

    A legal person that authorizes another (the agent) to act on one′s behalf; or on whose behalf an agent or gestor in a negotiorum gestio acts.

    Examples:

    "When an attorney represents a client, the client is the principal who permits the attorney, the client′s agent, to act on the client′s behalf."

    "My principal sells metal shims."

  5. Principal as a noun (legal):

    The primary participant in a crime.

  6. Principal as a noun (North America):

    A partner or owner of a business.

  7. Principal as a noun (music):

    A diapason, a type of organ stop on a pipe organ.

  8. Principal as a noun (architecture, engineering):

    The construction that gives shape and strength to a roof, generally a truss of timber or iron; or, loosely, the most important member of a piece of framing.

  9. Principal as a noun:

    The first two long feathers of a hawk's wing.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Spenser"

    "rfquotek J. H. Walsh"

  10. Principal as a noun:

    One of the turrets or pinnacles of waxwork and tapers with which the posts and centre of a funeral hearse were formerly crowned.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Oxf. Gloss."

  11. Principal as a noun (obsolete):

    An essential point or rule; a principle.

  12. Principal as a noun:

    A dancer at the highest rank within a professional dance company, particularly a ballet company.

  13. Principal as a noun (computing):

    A security principal.

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