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Council or counsel?

Council or Counsel? (Meaning, Usage + Examples)

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Dalia Y

BA, MA, Phil. Grammarflex's initial initiator and contributor.

Council or counsel?

Council and counsel are both nouns; though the latter has a verb form. Despite that these words sound the same, they are different (but related).

👍🏼Usage Note
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The city council has approved the new budget. .
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She counseled him to seek professional help. .
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The lawyer gave her some good councils. .
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Counsels were given to the young couple. .
  • Council (noun) can describe a “a group of people who are elected to govern an area such as a city or county”. Also, relatedly, it can refer to a group of people that meet to make rules or laws and discuss issues.
  • Counsel (noun or verb) as a noun, it can refer to advice that’s been given to someone, or to legal representation in court. As a verb, it refers to the act of giving advice.

“Council”, used in sentences

Word Form Examples
Other “Assembly of persons for consultation, deliberation or advice,” early 12c., originally in the Church sense, “assembly of prelates and theologians to regulate doctrine and discipline,” from Anglo-French cuncile.

c. 1200, “advice or instruction given;” c. 1300, “mutual advising or interchange of opinions, consultation,” from Old French counseil “advice, counsel; deliberation, thought” (10c.), from Latin consilium “plan, opinion”.

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Worksheet

Question 1 of 10

According to the post, what is the primary meaning of the noun “council”?



Which word has both a noun and a verb form, according to the post?



Based on the post, which word refers to advice given to someone?



According to the post, what is a common mistake when using “counsel” as a noun referring to advice?



The post suggests associating “council” with:



The city met to discuss the new regulations.



He needs to eat less red meat, according to his doctor’s .



The lawyer gave her some good .



She him to consider his options carefully.



Residents have complained to the local about the noise levels.





FAQs

What is the difference: council vs counsel?
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Council refers to a governing body or group meeting to make rules. Counsel refers to advice, legal help (noun), or the act of giving advice (verb). They sound alike but differ in meaning.

Is “counsel” always a noun?
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No, counsel can be a noun meaning advice or legal representation, or a verb meaning to give advice. The post shows “She counseled him…” as an example of its verb form.

What does ‘council’ mean?
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According to the post, council means a group of people elected to govern an area, like a city or county, or a group meeting to make rules and discuss issues.

Can ‘counsel’ (advice) be plural?
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No, when counsel means advice, it is uncountable. The post states “counsel” is uncountable and doesn’t take a plural form in this context (e.g., not “councils” for advice).

Give an example using ‘counsel’.
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The post provides examples like, “According to his doctor’s counsel, he needs to eat less red meat” and “He is there to give you counsel on all matters.”
Sources
  1. Oxford Learner’s Dictionary on “council” and “counsel”. Accessed 11 March, 2024.
  2. Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of counsel.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/counsel. Accessed 12 March, 2024.

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