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Origin and history of principled

principled(adj.)

"honorable, moral, having (good or right) principles," 1690s, from principle, which was used as a verb 17c.-18c. meaning "to ground (someone) in principles" (whether good or ill). In later instances from the noun.

also from 1690s

Entries linking to principled

principle(n.)

late 14c., "origin, source, beginning" (a sense now obsolete), also "rule of conduct; axiom, basic assumption; elemental aspect of a craft or discipline," from Anglo-French principle, Old French principe "origin, cause, principle," from Latin principium (plural principia) "a beginning, commencement, origin, first part," in plural "foundation, elements," from princeps (genitive principis) "first man, chief leader; ruler, sovereign," noun use of adjective meaning "that takes first," from primus "first" (see prime (adj.)) + root of capere "to take" (from PIE root *kap- "to grasp").

 The English -l- apparently is by analogy of participle, manciple, etc., also principal. From the notion of "one of the fundamental tenets or doctrines of a system, a law or truth on which others are founded" comes the sense of "a right rule of conduct" (1530s).

It is often easier to fight for principles than to live up to them. [Adlai Stevenson, speech, New York City, Aug. 27, 1952]

Scientific sense of "general law of nature," by virtue of which a machine or instrument operates, is recorded from 1802.

unprincipled(adj.)

"not honorable, not possessed of fixed moral principles," 1640s, from un- (1) "not" + principled (adj.). Earlier "not instructed" in something (1630s).

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