▪ I. ˈsubˌprincipal, n.
† 1. Mus. [med.L. subprincipālis, used to render Gr. παρυπάτη (sc. χορδή string): see sub- 13.] = parhypate. Obs.
| 1603 Holland Plutarch's Mor. Explan. Wds., Parhypate hypatón,..Subprincipall of principals... C, fa, ut. Parhypate Mesón,..Subprincipall of meanes:..F, fa, ut. |
2. [sub- 6.] A vice-principal of a university, etc.
| 1597 Sc. Acts Jas. VI (1816) IV. 154/1 Þe principall subprinll regentis and remanent memberis of þe said college. 1615 Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 543/1 Mr Pat. Guthrie sub⁓principall of the said colledge. 1755 E. Chamberlayne Angl. Notitia ii. 16 Eight Masters of Arts, of which, the first was Sub-Principal. |
3. Archit. [sub- 5 b.] (See quot.)
| 1842 Gwilt Archit. Gloss., Sub-principals, the same as auxiliary rafters or principal braces. |
4. [sub- 13.] An open diapason sub-bass.
| 1876 Stainer & Barrett Dict. Mus. Terms, Subprincipal, an organ stop consisting of open pipes, of 32 ft. pitch on the pedals, and of 16 ft. pitch on the manuals. |
▪ II. † ˈsubprincipal, a.
[sub- II.]
(See quot.)
| 1601 Dolman La Primaud. Fr. Acad. iii. li. 236 Eight other windes, called sub-principall [orig. souzprincipaux], and which compound their names of their two next collaterall windes,..to wit, North-northeast, North-northwest. |