Council — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective /ˈkau̇n(t)-səl/ coun·cil

Meaning & Definition of Council

Council (noun)

  1. an assembly or meeting for consultation, advice, or discussion
  2. a group elected or appointed as an advisory or legislative body
  3. a usually administrative body

Council (adjective)

  1. used for councils especially by or with North American Indigenous people
  2. built, maintained, or operated by a local governing agency

Council (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a coming together of a number of persons for a specified purpose

    "a war council attended by the top commanders of each of the armed services"

    similar: assembly, congress, convention, convocation, gathering, get-together, huddle, meeting
    related: clinic, workshop, cabinet, caucus, conclave, synod, demonstration, rally, confab, conversation, dialogue, discourse, discussion, palaver, talk, negotiation, parley, summit, conference, forum, round-robin, roundtable, seminar, symposium, audience, interview, session

  2. a group of persons formally joined together for some common interest

    "the neighborhood council decided to campaign for a new park"

    similar: association, board, brotherhood, chamber, club, college, congress, consortium, fellowship, fraternity, guild, institute, institution, league, order, organization, society, sodality
    related: collective, commune, community, cooperative, alliance, bloc, camp, coalition, partnership, body, cadre, group, circle, clan, clique, coterie, junta, junto, klatch, lot, set, crew, outfit, party, squad, team, branch, chapter, local, faithful, fold, membership, sisterhood, sorority, cabal, camarilla, camorra, confederacy, conspiracy, band, gang, ring, cartel, combine, syndicate

  3. a meeting featuring a group discussion

    "summoned to a council to discuss ways that the state could improve medical care for the elderly"

    similar: colloquy, conference, forum, panel, panel discussion, parley, round-robin, roundtable, seminar, symposium
    related: colloquium, caucus, town meeting, assembly, conclave, congregation, congress, consistory, convention, convocation, synod, debate, deliberation, brainstorming, chat room, newsgroup

  4. a local unit of an organization

    "the scout's own council chose to ignore the national organization's discriminatory policies"

    similar: affiliate, branch, cell, chapter, local
    related: arm, division, wing, offshoot, subchapter, lodge, post

  5. an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue

    "an unscheduled council in the judge's chambers"

    similar: argument, argumentation, argy-bargy (chiefly British), back-and-forth, colloquy, confab, confabulation, conference, consult, consultation, counsel, debate, deliberation, dialogue, discussion, give-and-take, palaver, parley, talk
    related: bull session, chat room, forum, meeting, roundtable, seminar, skull session, symposium, talkathon, chat, conversation, rap, words, discourse, disquisition, bargaining, consultancy, negotiation, pourparler

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Council

The most common words with a similar meaning to Council:

Chiefly British: argy-bargy
assembly, congress, convention, convocation, gathering, get-together, huddle, meeting, association, board, brotherhood, chamber, club, college, consortium, fellowship, fraternity, guild, institute, institution, league, order, organization, society, sodality, colloquy, conference, forum, panel, panel discussion, parley, round-robin, roundtable, seminar, symposium, affiliate, branch, cell, chapter, local

Related Words for Council

clinic, workshop, cabinet, caucus, conclave, synod, demonstration, rally, conversation, discourse, negotiation, summit, audience, interview, session, collective, commune, community, cooperative, alliance, bloc, camp, coalition, partnership, body, cadre, group, circle, clan, clique

Word Forms of Council

Inflections: councils

Origin & Etymology of Council

Middle English counceil, from Anglo-French cunseil, cuncile, from Latin concilium, from com- + calare to call low:3

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Council

Words & Phrases Containing Council

council of ministers, city council, executive council, legislative council, privy council, Security Council, student council

Frequently Asked Questions about Council

What does "Council" mean?

"Council" means an assembly or meeting for consultation, advice, or discussion. As an a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: an assembly or meeting for consultation, advice, or discussion. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Council"?

Other words for "Council" include assembly, congress, convention, convocation, gathering, get-together, huddle and meeting. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Council" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Council"?

There are 137 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Council". Common alternatives include assembly, congress, convention, convocation, gathering, get-together, huddle, meeting, association and board.

How do you use "Council" in a sentence?

Examples of "Council" in a sentence: "a war council attended by the top commanders of each of the armed services"; "the neighborhood council decided to campaign for a new park"; "summoned to a council to discuss ways that the state could improve medical care for the elderly".

Is "Council" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Council" can be used as a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Council" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Council" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Council"?

"Council" is pronounced /ˈkau̇n(t)-səl/ and divided into syllables as coun·cil.

What is the origin of the word "Council"?

"Council" comes from Middle English counceil, from Anglo-French cunseil, cuncile, from Latin concilium, from com- + calare to call low:3. First known use: 14th century.