Adjacent Words

Consul definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CONSUL, n. [L., to consult.]
1. The chief magistrate of the Ancient Roman Republic, invested with regal authority for one year. There were two consuls, annually chosen in the campus Martius. In the first ages of Tome, they were elected from Patrician families or noblemen; but in the year of Rome 388, the people obtained the privilege of electing one of the consuls from their own body, and sometimes both were plebeians.
2. In modern usage, the name consul is given to a person commissioned by a king or state to reside in a foreign country as an agent or representative, to protect the rights, commerce, merchants and seamen of the state, and to aid the government in any commercial transactions with such foreign country.
3. An adviser. [Not well authorized.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a diplomat appointed by a government to protect its commercial interests and help its citizens in a foreign country

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Latin; perhaps akin to Latin consulere to consult Date: 14th century 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 • consular adjective • consulship noun

Britannica Concise

In the Roman republic, either of two annually elected chief magistrates. The consuls had sacred rights and near-absolute authority. They were nominated by the Senate and elected by the popular assembly; each could veto the other's decisions. As heads of state, they commanded the army, presided over the Senate and assemblies and acted on their decrees, and handled foreign affairs. At the end of his one-year term, a consul was generally appointed to serve as governor of a province. The office continued in weaker form under the empire.French government established after the Coup of 18-19 Brumaire. The Constitution of t

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 an official appointed by a State to live in a foreign city and protect the State's citizens and interests there. 2 hist. either of two annually elected chief magistrates in ancient Rome. 3 any of the three chief magistrates of the French republic (1799-1804). Derivatives: consular adj. consulship n. Etymology: ME f. L, rel. to consulere take counsel

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Consul Con"sul, n. [L., prob. fr. consulere to deliberate. See Consult.] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) One of the two chief magistrates of the republic. Note: They were chosen annually, originally from the patricians only, but later from the plebeians also. 2. A senator; a counselor. [Obs.] Many of the consuls, raised and met, Are at the duke's already. --Shak. With kings and consuls of the earth. --Job. iii. 14 (Douay Ver. ) 3. (Fr. Hist.) One of the three chief magistrates of France from 1799 to 1804, who were called, respectively, first, second, and third consul. 4. An official commissioned to reside in some foreign country, to care for the commercial interests of the citizens of the appointing government, and to protect its seamen. Consul general, a consul of the first rank, stationed in an important place, or having jurisdiction in several places or over several consuls. Vice consul, a consular officer holding the place of a consul during the consul's absence or after he has been relieved.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(consuls) A consul is an official who is sent by his or her government to live in a foreign city in order to look after all the people there that belong to his or her own country. N-COUNT; N-TITLE: oft supp N; N-TITLE

Moby Thesaurus

ambassador, ambassadress, apostolic delegate, attache, career diplomat, chancellor, charge, commercial attache, consul general, consular agent, diplomat, diplomatic, diplomatic agent, diplomatist, emissary, envoy, envoy extraordinary, foreign service officer, internuncio, legate, military attache, minister, minister plenipotentiary, minister resident, nuncio, plenipotentiary, resident, secretary of legation, vice-consul, vice-legate