council
Definitions
A group of people called together to govern, manage, or advise on something
为治理、管理或提供建议而召集起来的群体；委员会，理事会，议会
A formal assembly held for discussion or decision-making
为讨论或决策而召开的正式会议
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedcon- (together) + cil (from calare, 'to call') = 'a calling-together.' A council is literally the group of people summoned to one place to deliberate — to govern, manage, or advise. The Latin word was concilium, an assembly.
Root concili still carries 6 more wordsUsage Guide
council vs counsel is the key pitfall — they sound the same.
- council = a group/body of people: a noun only. 'sit on the council,' 'a council meeting.'
- counsel = advice, or to advise; also a lawyer: 'seek legal counsel,' 'defense counsel,' 'I counsel patience.'
Quick test: if you can swap in 'committee,' use council; if you mean 'advice/advise,' use counsel. A member of a council is a councillor (BrE) / councilor (AmE); someone who gives counsel is a counsellor / counselor.
Example Sentences
- 1.
The city council voted to approve the new park budget.
- 2.
She was elected to the student council in her first year.
- 3.
The UN Security Council met to discuss the crisis.
Easily Confused
council vs counsel — Identical sound, different words. council is a body of people (the city council met). counsel is advice or a lawyer (she gave wise counsel; the defense counsel objected), and as a verb means 'to advise.' They come from different Latin roots (concilium 'assembly' vs consilium 'advice'). If it's a group → council; if it's advice → counsel.