Council and Counsel Are Different Words
A council is a group of people who meet to decide things. Counsel is advice, or a lawyer, and the two are among the most commonly confused pairs in English.
A council is a body of people who meet to advise or decide. Its near-twin *counsel* means advice, and the two are separate words with separate origins that happen to have collided in spelling and sound. A council gives counsel; the reverse makes no sense.
- A body that governs or advises. *The city council meets monthly.*
- Local government (British). *A council house.*
- A church assembly. *The Second Vatican Council.*
- A student or staff body. *The student council.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | council | The parish council. |
| Person | councillor | A local councillor. |
| US spelling | councilor | A city councilor. |
| Confusable | counsel | Legal counsel. |
| Confusable | counsellor | A student counsellor. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The council approved the planning application.Local government in Britain.
- She was elected as a councillor last May.Councillor — a member of a council.
- He sought counsel from a solicitor.Counsel — advice, the other word entirely.
Council or counsel?
- Council — a group of people; never a verb
- Counsel — advice, or a barrister; also a verb meaning to advise
- Councillor — a member of a council
- Counsellor — someone who gives advice or therapy
- A memory hook: counSEL gives advice, counCIL sits in a hall
Council comes from Latin *concilium*, an assembly. Counsel comes from *consilium*, advice or deliberation. They were already close in Latin, and French brought them into English close enough to be permanently confused.
Councillor or counselor?
Councillor sits on a council. Counsellor gives advice or therapy. American spelling uses one l in both.
Is council singular or plural?
Singular as a body. British English sometimes takes a plural verb when the members are meant.