consul

noun

con·​sul ˈkän(t)-səl How to pronounce consul (audio)
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 noun

Examples of consul in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The conflict took place while Rome’s consuls were waging a military campaign elsewhere. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Oct. 2024 The deeper characters in this production are her maid, Suzuki, and Sharpless, the American consul. Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2024 Neal Rubin and consul Allegra Baistrocchi share a fondness for SheWolf Pastificio in Detroit, where the cuisine reminds her of her native Rome. Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 15 Sep. 2024 He was appointed the U.S. vice consul in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg) and arrived in Russia shortly before the Bolsheviks rose to power that November. Francine Uenuma, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for consul 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'consul.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

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

Dictionary Entries Near consul

Cite this Entry

“Consul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consul. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.

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 adjective
consulship 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 adjective
consulship noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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