A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1558-1673
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Sub-principall, -principale, n. Also: supprincipall. [Principal(l n.1 3. Cf. e.m.E. subprincipall n. (1603) a musical term, also adj. (1601), applied to certain winds; first recorded as a noun in this sense in 1755.] A university vice-principal (at King's College, Aberdeen). Also attrib. in possess. sense. — 1562 Comm. Univ. IV (Aberd.) App. 152.
Our lovitis, principale, sub-principale [etc.] … of our College, within the Universitie of Abirdene 1569 Reg. Privy S. VI 132/2. 1558-66 Knox II 138.
Alexander Andersone, sub-principall of Abirdene 1593–1620 Marischal Coll. Rec. 77.
The subprincipall of the auldtoune college 1597 Warrender P. (SHS) II 325.
Petir Udny subprincipall of the auld college 1623 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 280.
Supprincipall c1650 Spalding II 225.
Mr. Alexander Middiltoun, subprincipall, is mareit … contrair to the foundatioun of that colledge, forbidding mareage to ony of the invard memberis serving thairin —attrib. 1673 Aberd. Council Lett. V 272.
Yeisterday being the first of this instant our sub principall dyet heir … I sould be looked upon by all as verie neglectfull and wanting to my selfe if I sould omitt to putt in for his place of sub-principalitie
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"Sub-principall n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/sub_principall>
