15 results for: Council

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

coun·cil

Audio Help [koun-suh

–noun

1.	an assembly of persons summoned or convened for consultation, deliberation, or advice.

2.	a body of persons specially designated or selected to act in an advisory, administrative, or legislative capacity: the governor's council on housing.

3.	(in certain British colonies or dependencies) an executive or legislative body assisting the governor.

4.	an ecclesiastical assembly for deciding matters of doctrine or discipline.

5.	New Testament. the Sanhedrin or other authoritative body.

[Origin: 1125–75; ME co(u)nsile < AF cuncil(e), OF concile < LL concilium synod, church council (L: assembly), prob. equiv. to L con- con- + -cil(āre), comb. form of calāre to summon, convoke + -ium -ium; ME -s- by assoc. with AF cunseil counsel

]

—Usage note Council, counsel, and consul are not interchangeable. Council is a noun. Its most common sense is “an assembly of persons convened for deliberation or the like.” It is generally used with a singular verb. A member of such a group is a councilor. Counsel is both noun and verb. Its most common meaning as a noun is “advice given to another”: His counsel on domestic relations is sound. A person giving such advice is a counselor. In law, counsel means “legal adviser or advisers” and can be either singular or plural. As a verb, counsel means “to advise.” The noun consul refers to the representative of a government who guards the welfare of its citizens in a foreign country.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Council

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

coun·cil Audio Help (koun'səl) Pronunciation Key
n.

1. An assembly of persons called together for consultation, deliberation, or discussion.
2. A body of people elected or appointed to serve as administrators, legislators, or advisors.
3. An assembly of church officials and theologians convened for regulating matters of doctrine and discipline.
The discussion or deliberation that takes place in such an assembly or body.

[Middle English counceil, from Old French concile, from Latin concilium; see kelə-² in Indo-European roots.]

Usage Note: Council, counsel, and consul are never interchangeable, though their meanings are related. Council and councilor refer principally to a deliberative assembly (such as a city council or student council), its work, and its membership. Counsel and counselor pertain chiefly to advice and guidance in general and to a person (such as a lawyer or camp counselor) who provides it. Consul denotes an officer in the foreign service of a country.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
council

c.1123, from Anglo-Norm. cuncile, from O.N.Fr. concilie, from L. concilium "group of people, meeting," from com- "together" + calare "to call" (see calendar). Tendency to confuse it in form and meaning with counsel has been consistent since 16c.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

council
noun
1.	a body serving in an administrative capacity; "student council"
2.	(Christianity) an assembly of theologians and bishops and other representatives of different churches or dioceses that is convened to regulate matters of discipline or doctrine
3.	a meeting of people for consultation; "emergency council"

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version) - Cite This Source - Share This
council1 [ˈkaunsəl] noun

a group of people formed in order to advise etc
Example: The King formed a council of wise men; the Council for Recreation

Arabic:	مَجْلِـس (استِشاري)
Chinese (Simplified):	顾问班子
Chinese (Traditional):	顧問班子
Czech:	rada
Danish:	råd
Dutch:	raad
Estonian:	nõukogu
Finnish:	neuvosto
French:	conseil
German:	der Rat
Greek:	συμβούλιο
Hungarian:	tanács
Icelandic:	ráð
Indonesian:	dewan
Italian:	consiglio

Japanese:	評議会
Korean:	자문 위원회
Latvian:	padome; konsīlijs
Lithuanian:	taryba
Norwegian:	råd
Polish:	rada
Portuguese (Brazil):	conselho
Portuguese (Portugal):	conselho
Romanian:	consiliu, sfat
Russian:	совет
Slovak:	rada
Slovenian:	svet
Spanish:	consejo
Swedish:	råd, rådsförsamling
Turkish:	danışma kurulu

council2 [ˈkaunsəl] noun

in the United Kingdom, a body of people elected to control the workings of local government in a county, region, district etc

Arabic:	مَجْلِس (بلدي)
Chinese (Simplified):	地方议会
Chinese (Traditional):	地方議會
Czech:	shromáždění
Danish:	byråd; amtsråd
Dutch:	gemeenteraad
Estonian:	nõukogu
Finnish:	valtuusto
French:	assemblée
German:	der Rat
Greek:	δημοτικό συμβούλιο
Hungarian:	tanács
Icelandic:	bæjar— eða borgarstjórn
Indonesian:	majelis
Italian:	consiglio

Japanese:	地方議会
Korean:	추밀원
Latvian:	padome
Lithuanian:	taryba, savivaldybė
Norwegian:	bystyre, kommunestyre, formannskap
Polish:	rada
Portuguese (Brazil):	câmara, assembléia
Portuguese (Portugal):	câmara municipal
Romanian:	consiliu
Russian:	местный совет
Slovak:	zhromaždenie
Slovenian:	svet
Spanish:	ayuntamiento
Swedish:	kommunfullmäktige, stadsfullmäktige
Turkish:	denetleme kurulu

See also: councillor

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This

Main Entry: coun·cil
Pronunciation: 'kaun-s&l
Function: noun
: a governmental body: as a : a group elected as a legislative body <city council> b : an administrative body <council on aging> c : an executive body whose members are equal in power and authority —compare COMMITTEE 2b

U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This

Council Bluffs, IA (city, FIPS 16860) Location: 41.23995 N, 95.85950 W
Population (1990): 54315 (22244 housing units)
Area: 95.3 sq km (land), 5.9 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 51503

Council Hill, OK (town, FIPS 17550) Location: 35.55604 N, 95.65237 W
Population (1990): 139 (53 housing units)
Area: 0.8 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 74428

Council Grove, KS (city, FIPS 15925) Location: 38.66067 N, 96.48939 W
Population (1990): 2228 (1085 housing units)
Area: 4.4 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)

Council, ID (city, FIPS 18820) Location: 44.72892 N, 116.43524 W
Population (1990): 831 (392 housing units)
Area: 1.8 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 83612

Council, NC Zip code(s): 28434

Council, VA Zip code(s): 24260

U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Council

Cit"y\, a. Of or pertaining to a city. --Shak.

City council. See under Council.

City court, The municipal court of a city. [U. S.]

City ward, a watchman, or the collective watchmen, of a city. [Obs.] --Fairfax.

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