consul

1 of 2

noun (1)

con·​sul ˈkän(t)-səl How to pronounce consul (audio)
Synonyms of consulnext
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
the American consul in Rome
consulship
ˈkän(t)-səl-ˌship How to pronounce consul (audio)
noun

consulship

2 of 2

noun (2)

con·​sul·​ship ˈkän(t)-səl-ˌship How to pronounce consulship (audio)
: the office or term of office of a consul : consulate sense 2

Examples of consul in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
But what worries me a little bit more is that some of the professionals at embassies and consuls are not being told to come home. — CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026 When Pierce took office, Hawthorne was given a posting as consul to Liverpool. — John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026 Pablo Neruda played a key role when he was appointed Chile’s special consul for Spanish immigration. — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 19 June 2026 Weston Hurt might have given the American consul Sharpless a bit more vocal oomph, but his well-upholstered baritone and awkward dignity were just right. — Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 11 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for consul

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Latin; perhaps akin to Latin consulere to consult

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of consul was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing consul

Rhymes for consul

See All Rhymes for consul

Browse Nearby Words

consuetudo
consul
consulage
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Consul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consul. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

consul

noun
con·​sul ˈkän(t)-səl How to pronounce consul (audio)
1
: either of two chief officials of the ancient Roman republic who were elected each year
2
: an official appointed by a government to live in a foreign country to look after the commercial interests of citizens of the appointing country
consular
-s(ə-)lər How to pronounce consul (audio)
adjective
consulship
-səl-ˌship How to pronounce consul (audio)
noun

Legal Definition

consul

noun
con·​sul ˈkän-səl How to pronounce consul (audio)
: an official appointed by a government to reside in a foreign country in order to represent the commercial interests of citizens of the appointing country
consular
-sə-lər How to pronounce consul (audio)
adjective
consulship noun

More from Merriam-Webster on consul

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for consul

Nglish: Translation of consul for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about consul

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