Council vs. Counsel vs. Consul

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Understanding the difference between commonly confused words will help you avoid making errors in English usage. Let’s examine the difference between the following:

council

A council is an assembly of persons meeting regularly for discussion or deliberation, or a body of people elected to manage the affairs of a municipal district. The word council is a noun only, not a verb.

The city council approved an increase of two percent in the parks and recreation budget this year.
Baltimore City Hall Council meeting.

counsel

Counsel can be a noun or a verb. As a noun, it means guidance, advice, or private thoughts, or it can refer to a lawyer who gives legal advice and conducts a case in court. As a verb, counsel means to give someone advice, especially professional psychological help, or to recommend a course of action.

Counsel for the defense requested permission to approach the bench.

Mike counseled his sister to try to patch things up with her husband.
A lawyer (or counsel) in her robes on the steps of the courthouse.

consul

A consul is a government official appointed to live in a foreign country and represent and protect the government’s citizens and interests there.

Bridget spent many years as one of Britain’s consuls in France, eventually rising to the rank of consul general.
The Brazilian Consulate in Rome.

☛ Here’s a memory trick that may help you to tell these words apart:

A council facilitates matters; a counsel sells help; and a consul consults with foreign governments.

Photo credits:

Photo 1: Image by Bruce Emmerling from Pixabay

Photo 2: John Gillespie on Flickr CC BY SA 2.0

Photo 3: Image by Mariangela RIbeiro from Pixabay