principle

1. A basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct (synset 105922132)
   "their principles of composition characterized all their works"
   is a type of: generalisation, generality, generalization - an idea or conclusion having general application
   subtypes:

   • pillar - a fundamental principle or practice
   • yang - the bright positive masculine principle in Chinese dualistic cosmology
   • yin - the dark negative feminine principle in Chinese dualistic cosmology
   • feng shui - rules in Chinese philosophy that govern spatial arrangement and orientation in relation to patterns of yin and yang and the flow of energy (qi); the favorable or unfavorable effects are taken into consideration in designing and siting buildings and graves and furniture
   same as: rule
2. A rule or standard especially of good behavior (synset 105964190)
   "a man of principle"; "he will not violate his principles"
   is a type of: value - an ideal accepted by some individual or group
   subtypes:

   • accounting principle, accounting standard - a principle that governs current accounting practice and that is used as a reference to determine the appropriate treatment of complex transactions
   • chivalry, knightliness - the medieval principles governing knighthood and knightly conduct
   • ethic, moral principle, value orientation, value-system - the principles of right and wrong that are accepted by an individual or a social group
   • hellenism - the principles and ideals associated with classical Greek civilization
   • judicial doctrine, judicial principle, legal principle - (law) a principle underlying the formulation of jurisprudence
   • scruple - an ethical or moral principle that inhibits action
3. A basic truth or law or assumption (synset 105881099)
   "the principles of democracy"
   is a type of: law, natural law - a rule or body of rules of conduct inherent in human nature and essential to or binding upon human society
   subtypes:

   • dictate - a guiding principle
   • basic principle, basics, bedrock, fundamental principle, fundamentals - principles from which other truths can be derived
   • logic - the principles that guide reasoning within a given field or situation
   • pleasure principle, pleasure-pain principle, pleasure-unpleasure principle - (psychoanalysis) the governing principle of the id; the principle that an infant seeks gratification and fails to distinguish fantasy from reality
   • reality principle - (psychoanalysis) the governing principle of the ego; the principle that as a child grows it becomes aware of the real environment and the need to accommodate to it
   • insurrectionism - the principle of revolt against constituted authority
   • conservation - (physics) the maintenance of a certain quantities unchanged during chemical reactions or physical transformations
   • tao - the ultimate principle of the universe
4. A rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system (synset 105882839)
   "the principle of the conservation of mass"; "the principle of jet propulsion"; "the right-hand rule for inductive fields"
   is a type of: law, law of nature - a generalization that describes recurring facts or events in nature
   subtypes:

   • gestalt law of organization, gestalt principle of organization - a principle of Gestalt psychology that identifies factors leading to particular forms of perceptual organization
   • le chatelier principle, le chatelier's law, le chatelier's principle, le chatelier-braun principle - the principle that if any change is imposed on a system that is in equilibrium then the system tends to adjust to a new equilibrium counteracting the change
   • gresham's law - (economics) the principle that when two kinds of money having the same denominational value are in circulation the intrinsically more valuable money will be hoarded and the money of lower intrinsic value will circulate more freely until the intrinsically more valuable money is driven out of circulation; bad money drives out good; credited to Sir Thomas Gresham
   • mass-energy equivalence - (physics) the principle that a measured quantity of mass is equivalent (according to relativity theory) to a measured quantity of energy
   • naegele's rule - rule for calculating an expected delivery date; subtract three months from the first day of the last menstrual period and add seven days to that date
   • law of parsimony, occam's razor, ockham's razor, principle of parsimony - the principle that entities should not be multiplied needlessly; the simplest of two competing theories is to be preferred
   • principle of equivalence - (physics) the principle that an observer has no way of distinguishing whether his laboratory is in a uniform gravitational field or is in an accelerated frame of reference
   • principle of liquid displacement - (hydrostatics) the volume of a body immersed in a fluid is equal to the volume of the displaced fluid
   • huygens' principle of superposition, principle of superposition - the displacement of any point due to the superposition of wave systems is equal to the sum of the displacements of the individual waves at that point
   • principle of superposition, superposition, superposition principle - (geology) the principle that in a series of stratified sedimentary rocks the lowest stratum is the oldest
   • mass action, mass-action principle - (neurology) the principle that the cortex of the brain operates as a coordinated system with large masses of neural tissue involved in all complex functioning
   • localisation, localisation of function, localisation principle, localization, localization of function, localization principle - (physiology) the principle that specific functions have relatively circumscribed locations in some particular part or organ of the body
   same as: rule
5. Rule of personal conduct (synset 106668133)
   is a type of: prescript, rule - prescribed guide for conduct or action
   subtypes:

   • higher law - a principle that takes precedent over the laws of society
   • moral principle - the principle that conduct should be moral
   • hypothetical imperative - a principle stating the action required to attain a desired goal
   • caveat emptor - a commercial principle that without a warranty the buyer takes upon himself the risk of quality
   is a part of: ethic, ethical code - a system of principles governing morality and acceptable conduct
   same as: precept
6. (law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature) (synset 105801218)
   "the rationale for capital punishment"; "the principles of internal-combustion engines"
   referred to in: jurisprudence, law - the collection of rules imposed by authority
   is a type of: explanation - thought that makes something comprehensible
   subtypes: dialectics - a rationale for dialectical materialism based on change through the conflict of opposing forces
   same as: rationale

Other Searches

• Rhyme: Dillfrog, RhymeZone
• Definition: Wiktionary, Dictionary.com, Wikipedia, Merriam-Webster, WordNet, Power Thesaurus
• Imagery: Google, Flickr, Bing