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English noun: principle

1. principle (cognition) a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct


SamplesTheir principles of composition characterized all their works.


Synonymsrule


Broader (hypernym)generalisation, generality, generalization


Narrower (hyponym)feng shui, pillar, yang, yin

2. principle (cognition) a rule or standard especially of good behavior


SamplesA man of principle.
He will not violate his principles.


Broader (hypernym)value


Narrower (hyponym)accounting principle, accounting standard, chivalry, ethic, Hellenism, judicial doctrine, judicial principle, knightliness, legal principle, moral principle, scruple, value orientation, value-system

3. principle (cognition) a basic truth or law or assumption


SamplesThe principles of democracy.


Broader (hypernym)law, natural law


Narrower (hyponym)basic principle, basics, bedrock, conservation, dictate, fundamental principle, fundamentals, insurrectionism, logic, pleasure principle, pleasure-pain principle, pleasure-unpleasure principle, reality principle, Tao

4. principle (cognition) a rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system


SamplesThe principle of the conservation of mass.
The principle of jet propulsion.
The right-hand rule for inductive fields.


Synonymsrule


Broader (hypernym)law, law of nature


Narrower (hyponym)Gestalt law of organization, Gestalt principle of organization, Gresham's Law, Huygens' principle of superposition, law of parsimony, Le Chatelier principle, Le Chatelier's law, Le Chatelier's principle, Le Chatelier-Braun principle, localisation, localisation of function, localisation principle, localization, localization of function, localization principle, mass action, mass-action principle, mass-energy equivalence, Naegele's rule, Occam's Razor, Ockham's Razor, principle of equivalence, principle of liquid displacement, principle of parsimony, principle of superposition, principle of superposition, superposition, superposition principle

5. principle (communication) rule of personal conduct


Synonymsprecept


Broader (hypernym)prescript, rule


Narrower (hyponym)caveat emptor, higher law, hypothetical imperative, moral principle


Part meronymethic, ethical code

6. principle (cognition) (law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature)


SamplesThe rationale for capital punishment.
The principles of internal-combustion engines.


Synonymsrationale


Broader (hypernym)explanation


Narrower (hyponym)dialectics


Domain categoryjurisprudence, law









Based on WordNet 3.0 copyright © Princeton University.
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