council

noun coun·cil \ ˈkau̇n(t)-səl \

|Updated on: 5 Aug 2018

Examples: council in a Sentence

Definition of council

1 : an assembly or meeting for consultation, advice, or discussion

the Second Vatican Council

2 : a group elected or appointed as an advisory or legislative body

a governor's council

a city council

3 a : a usually administrative body

a council on housing

b : an executive body whose members are equal in power and authority

c : a governing body of delegates from local units of a federation

4 : deliberation in a council

5 a : a federation of or a central body uniting a group of organizations

the National Council of Teachers of English

b : a local chapter of an organization

c : club, society

See council defined for English-language learners

See council defined for kids

Examples of council in a Sentence

The city council is considering a ban on smoking in restaurants.
the governor's council on physical fitness

Recent Examples of council from the Web

The $15,000 annual fee for scooter companies would go toward paying for scooter enforcement, said council member Adamson.

— faith e. pinho, Indianapolis Star, "Indianapolis scooters: What the proposed regulations could mean," 13 July 2018
That’s part of a text message (including typos) sent to a friend in July 2017 by a young woman, then 21, with whom police say ex-Farmington town council member Jon Landry had a secret extramarital affair for years.

— jon lender, courant.com, "State Police Probe Domestic Violence Claim Against Landry By Young Woman In Secret Affair," 13 July 2018
They were joined by other council members and project partners.

— ahmed elbenni, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Aldermen unveil new app to help combat unemployment in Milwaukee," 12 July 2018
Several of the council members, as well as District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, came out against the initiative before it was put to the vote.

— maya sweedler, WSJ, "Washington, D.C., Council Members Consider Repeal of Voter-Passed Minimum-Wage Increase," 12 July 2018
According to the county’s website, Fowler is still a council member.

— greg hanlon, PEOPLE.com, "Kansas Politician Accused of Biting Officer's Thumb Hard Enough to Break It," 11 July 2018
Registrar Michael Vu has declined to provide a cost estimate for a recount in District 8, but has noted that a 2014 recount in a Chula Vista council race cost $50,000 despite being halted in the middle of the seventh day of counting.

— david garrick, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Candidate won't seek recount in battle for slot in San Diego council runoff," 10 July 2018
Typically treasurers in council races are not paid.

— sharon coolidge, Cincinnati.com, "At last, some answers about Cincinnati Councilman Jeff Pastor's campaign finances," 8 July 2018
While in Harris' district, the Railroad Drive shelter faced its fiercest opposition from residents of the nearby council district represented by Allen Warren in North Sacramento.

— ryan lillis and cynthia hubert, sacbee, "Sacramento wants to build large homeless shelters. But these key sites face opposition," 30 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'council.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of council

Middle English counceil, from Anglo-French cunseil, cuncile, from Latin concilium, from com- + calare to call — more at low

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

council Synonyms

Synonyms

association, board, brotherhood, chamber, club, college, congress, consortium, fellowship, fraternity, guild (also gild), institute, institution, league, order, organization, society, sodality;

alliance, bloc, camp, coalition, partnership;

body, cadre, group;

circle, clan, clique, coterie, junta, lot, set;

crew, outfit, party, squad, team;

branch, chapter, local;

faithful, fold, membership;

sisterhood, sorority;

cabal, confederacy, conspiracy;

band, gang, ring;

cartel, combine, syndicate;

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

council

adjective

Definition of council

1 : used for councils especially by or with North American Indians

a council ground

2 British : built, maintained, or operated by a local governing agency

council housing

council flats

See council defined for English-language learners

Origin and Etymology of council

see ¹council

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

COUNCIL Defined for English Language Learners

council

noun

Definition of council for English Language Learners

: a group of people who are chosen to make rules, laws, or decisions about something
: a group of people who provide advice or guidance on something

council

adjective

Definition of council for English Language Learners

: of or relating to a council
: provided by a local government council for people to live in for low rent

COUNCIL Defined for Kids

council

noun coun·cil \ ˈkau̇n-səl \

Definition of council for Students

: a group of people appointed or elected to make laws or give advice

the city council

Law Dictionary

council

noun coun·cil \ ˈkau̇n-səl \

legal Definition of council

: a governmental body: as

a : a group elected as a legislative body

city council

b : an administrative body

council on aging

c : an executive body whose members are equal in power and authority — compare committee 2b

Learn More about council

See words that rhyme with council Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for council Spanish Central: Translation of council Nglish: Translation of council for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of council for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about council

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council

Definition of council

Examples of council in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of council

council Synonyms

Synonyms

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Other Government and Politics Terms

council

Definition of council

Origin and Etymology of council

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COUNCIL Defined for English Language Learners

council

Definition of council for English Language Learners

council

Definition of council for English Language Learners

COUNCIL Defined for Kids

council

Definition of council for Students

Law Dictionary

council

legal Definition of council

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