consul

[ kon-suh l ]
/ ˈkɒn səl /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR consul ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an official appointed by the government of one country to look after its commercial interests and the welfare of its citizens in another country.
either of the two chief magistrates of the ancient Roman republic.
French History. one of the three supreme magistrates of the First Republic during the period 1799–1804.

Origin of consul

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin; traditionally taken to be a derivative of consulere to consult, but orig. and interrelationship of both words is unclear

usage note for consul

See council.

OTHER WORDS FROM consul

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH consul

consul council counsel (see usage note at council)

Words nearby consul

consubstantiate, consubstantiation, consuela, consuetude, consuetudinary, consul, consul general, consular agent, consulate, consulate general, consult

Words related to consular

diplomatic, valid

Example sentences from the Web for consular

British Dictionary definitions for consular

consul
/ (ˈkɒnsəl) /

noun

an official appointed by a sovereign state to protect its commercial interests and aid its citizens in a foreign city
(in ancient Rome) either of two annually elected magistrates who jointly exercised the highest authority in the republic
(in France from 1799 to 1804) any of the three chief magistrates of the First Republic

Derived forms of consul

consular (ˈkɒnsjʊlə), adjective consulship, noun

Word Origin for consul

C14: from Latin, from consulere to consult