consul

noun

con·​sul ˈkän(t)-səl How to pronounce consul (audio)
1
a
: either of two annually elected chief magistrates of the Roman republic
b
: one of three chief magistrates of the French republic from 1799 to 1804
2
: an official appointed by a government to reside in a foreign country to represent the commercial interests of citizens of the appointing country
the American consul in Rome
consulship noun

Examples of consul in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The federal prosecutor for the Wyoming Territory reported afterward that local authorities had hoped Frederick Bee, the Chinese consul in San Francisco, would arrange for Chinese testimony, but none materialized. Michael Luo, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025 The nonpolitical figures advise military leaders on range of compliance matters including international and humanitarian law, prosecute and defend service members, and offer consul on operations, among other matters. Mark Joseph, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025 In the Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire, for example, European and American consuls, missionaries, and merchants were landing on Eastern Mediterranean shores in growing numbers and were founding schools, universities, and their own courts of law. Vanessa Ogle, Foreign Affairs, 12 Oct. 2015 Will be rendered speechless by a missing button on the blouse of the wife of the Swiss consul, and the way the wind brushed back Agafya’s hair to show her collarbone. Daniel Mason, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for consul

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin; perhaps akin to Latin consulere to consult

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Consul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consul. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

consul

noun
con·​sul ˈkän(t)-səl How to pronounce consul (audio)
1
: either of two chief officials of the ancient Roman republic who were elected each year
2
: an official appointed by a government to live in a foreign country to look after the commercial interests of citizens of the appointing country
consular adjective
consulship noun

Legal Definition

consul

noun
con·​sul ˈkän-səl How to pronounce consul (audio)
: an official appointed by a government to reside in a foreign country in order to represent the commercial interests of citizens of the appointing country
consular adjective
consulship noun

More from Merriam-Webster on consul

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!