First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
consul
noun con·sul \ˈkän(t)-səl\
: a government official whose job is to live in a foreign country and protect and help the citizens of his or her own country who are traveling, living, or doing business there
: either one of two chief officials of the ancient Roman republic who were elected every year
Full Definition of CONSUL
1
a : either of two annually elected chief magistrates of the Roman republic b : one of three chief magistrates of the French republic from 1799 to 1804
2
: an official appointed by a government to reside in a foreign country to represent the commercial interests of citizens of the appointing country
— con·sul·ar \-s(ə-)lər\ adjective
— con·sul·ship \-səl-ˌship\ noun
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Origin of CONSUL
Middle English, from Latin; perhaps akin to Latin consulere to consult
Other Government and Politics Terms
CONSUL Defined for Kids
consul
noun con·sul \ˈkän-səl\
Definition of CONSUL for Kids
: an official appointed by a government to live in a foreign country in order to look after the commercial interests of citizens of the appointing country
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