Consult: Asking Someone Who Knows
To consult is to seek advice or information from a person or a source. It also means to discuss something with those affected before deciding.
Consult means to go to a source for advice — a doctor, a lawyer, a map, a dictionary. A second sense matters in public life: consulting people affected by a decision means asking them before it is made, and the word is often used where only the appearance of asking took place.
- To seek advice from. *Consult your doctor before taking it.*
- To look something up. *He consulted the timetable.*
- To discuss before deciding. *Staff were consulted about the move.*
- To work as an adviser. *She consults for two agencies.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | consult | Consult a specialist. |
| Person | consultant | A management consultant. |
| Noun | consultation | A public consultation. |
| Adjective | consultative | A consultative body. |
| Noun | consultancy | A small consultancy. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Consult a professional before signing.Standard advisory wording.
- The council launched a twelve-week consultation.A formal period for public comment.
- In Britain a consultant is a senior hospital doctor.Not a hired adviser, which confuses American readers.
Consultant means different things
- In British medicine — the most senior grade of hospital doctor
- In business — an outside adviser hired for a project
- In engineering — a specialist engaged for expert judgement
- Consultancy — the firm, or the work itself
- Getting these confused across dialects causes genuine misunderstandings
From Latin *consultare*, to take counsel, the frequentative of *consulere* — the verb behind consul and counsel. The Roman consul was, in origin, one who was consulted.
Consult or consult with?
Consult a doctor takes a direct object. Consult with suggests a two-way discussion between equals.
Consultation or consulting?
A consultation is one meeting or one formal process. Consulting is the profession.