advice

noun

ad·​vice əd-ˈvīs How to pronounce advice (audio)
1
: recommendation regarding a decision or course of conduct : counsel
… shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties …U.S. Constitution
offering medical advice
a word of advice
2
: information or notice given
usually used in plural
… the latest advices from Mexico …Henry David Thoreau
3
: an official notice concerning a business transaction
payment advices

Examples of advice in a Sentence

Parties have to make decisions involving millions of dollars based on incomplete information; to help make those decisions, they inevitably seek advice from pollsters they trust. Noam Scheiber, New Republic, 24 Feb. 2003
Of all the e-mail advice I've received about my herniated disk, from acupuncture to zen, the most immediately applicable has been this: Channel your daily rage away from your spine. Robert Lipsyte, New York Times, 21 July 2002
My advice is to sell your old car and get a new one. Take my advice and sell your old car. He needs advice from an expert. She's been giving him some expert advice about investing. “May I ask your advice about something?” “Certainly. I'm always happy to give advice when asked for it.” See More
Recent Examples on the Web Earlier this year, after current Port of San Diego CEO Joe Stuyvesant was placed on administrative leave, Castellanos sought advice from California’s Fair Political Practices Commission on whether state conflict-of-interest laws would bar him from being hired by the port as its CEO. Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Nov. 2023 These meetings offer a safe, often confidential space for people to talk about their identity, to ask questions and to ask for advice without judgment, members say. Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 18 Nov. 2023 Check out our Best Early Black Friday Deals and Black Friday Outdoor Deals lists, as well as our Black Friday shopping tips for advice. WIRED, 18 Nov. 2023 After all, it’s been decades (word of advice: don’t mention how long her career has been) that she’s racked up a steady stream of chart-toppers and broken records. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 18 Nov. 2023 For advice on navigating the world suddenly out to cash in on his instafame, Anthony has turned to heroes like Johnson, Houser, and Shooter Jennings. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 17 Nov. 2023 Her biggest piece of advice: Everyone should have a carbon monoxide detector — in every room. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023 MedPAC and the national academies, both of which provide advice to Congress, have weighed in on the broad outlines of what such a transformation might look like. Michelle Andrews, CBS News, 15 Nov. 2023 Group Therapy is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment. Laura Newberry, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'advice.' 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 avis, avise, advis, advise "thought, judgment, opinion," borrowed from Anglo-French avis, avise, advis, from the phrase a vis "apparent" (in ce m'est a vis "that appears to me"), from a "to, at, in" (going back to Latin ad) + vis, in part from the noun vis "field of vision, sense of sight, face" (going back to Latin vīsus, verbal noun from vidēre "to see"), in part from the Old French phrase ço m'est vis "that seems to me," continuing Latin mihi est vīsum (with neuter past participle of vidēre) — more at at entry 1, wit entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near advice

Cite this Entry

“Advice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/advice. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

advice

noun
ad·​vice əd-ˈvīs How to pronounce advice (audio)
: an opinion or suggestion offered about a decision or course of conduct : counsel

Legal Definition

advice

noun
ad·​vice əd-ˈvīs How to pronounce advice (audio)
1
: recommendation regarding a decision or course of conduct
he shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treatiesU.S. Constitution art. II
advice of counsel
2
: an official notice concerning a business transaction

More from Merriam-Webster on advice

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