headmaster

IPA/ˌhedˈmɑːstə(r)/
KK[hˈɛdmˈæstɚ]IPA/ˌhedˈmæstər/

headmaster — noun

  • headmastersingular
  • headmastersplural

1. the male head of a school who is responsible for managing the teachers and makin

1.nounB1
Definition

the male head of a school who is responsible for managing the teachers and making important decisions about how the school runs, especially in a private school

Example

The headmaster greeted each new student at the school gate on the first morning.

noun phrase as subject describing a role

Our headmaster announced that the science laboratory would be rebuilt next year.

announce + that-clause for official statements

Common collocations
  • headmaster of [school name]
  • former headmaster
  • deputy headmaster
  • appoint a headmaster
  • headmaster's study
  • headmaster's office
Synonyms
  • principal

    more common in US English and in public schools; gender-neutral

  • headteacher

    standard official term for UK state schools; gender-neutral

  • head

    informal short form, common in UK; gender-neutral

Grammar Patterns

headmaster + of + school

headmaster + proper noun (title)

Usage Note

Used specifically for male school leaders. The female equivalent is 'headmistress'. In the US, 'principal' is more common for public schools, while 'headmaster' is typically used in private or independent schools. In the UK, 'headteacher' is the official term in state schools, but 'headmaster' is still common in private ('public') schools.

Common Mistakes

She has been the headmaster of the school for ten years.
She has been the headmistress of the school for ten years.
'headmaster' refers only to a male leader; use 'headmistress' for a female leader.
The headmaster of the public elementary school retired.
The principal of the public elementary school retired.
In US public schools, the correct term is 'principal', not 'headmaster'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Headmaster', 'principal', and 'headteacher' all refer to the top leader of a school, but they differ in region, gender, and formality. 'Headmaster' is the most gender-specific (male only) and is tied to private or 'public' schools in the UK and to some private schools in the US. 'Principal' is the standard term in US public schools and is gender-neutral — it is also widely understood internationally. 'Headteacher' is the official title used in UK state schools and is also gender-neutral. 'Head' is a shorter, more informal version common in British conversation ('the head wants to see you'). 'Headmistress' is the female counterpart of 'headmaster', used in the same school types. For example: 'The headmaster of Eton gave a speech' (UK private school, male), but 'The principal of Lincoln High School retired' (US public school, gender-neutral).

principal ↗headteacher ↗head ↗headmistress

Common collocations

Prepositions

  • of (headmaster of a school)

Etymology

Old EnglishLatinFrenchEnglish

'Headmaster' is a compound of two English words: 'head' (from Old English 'heafod', meaning 'top part' or 'leader') and 'master' (from Latin 'magister' via Old French 'maistre', meaning 'teacher' or 'person in authority'). The combined word was first used in English in the 1500s and originally referred to the leading teacher of a school.