Principal

A principal is:

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• The head of an educational institution. See Dean, School principal, or Vice-Chancellor.
• A natural person or legal entity acting on its/his/her own behalf, not as an agent or surety.
• In finance, the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated. Also the amount still owed on a debt which has been partially paid, sometime also called remaining principal or outstanding balance.
• In Access Control, an entity with some authentication credentials. This is distinct from groups which are collections of principals (and other groups).
• Fundamental stop on a pipe organ. Good pipe organs usually have several principals.