consulate

American  

[kon-suh-lit] / ˈkɒn sə lɪt /

noun

1. the premises officially occupied by a consul.

2. the position, work, authority, or term of service of a consul.

3. (often initial capital letter) a government by consuls, as in France from 1799 to 1804.

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consulate British  

/ ˈkɒnsjʊlɪt /

noun

1. the business premises or residence of a consul

2. government by consuls

3. the office or period of office of a consul or consuls

4. (often capital)

   1. the government of France by the three consuls from 1799 to 1804

   2. this period of French history

5. (often capital)

   1. the consular government of the Roman republic

   2. the office or rank of a Roman consul

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Etymology

Origin of consulate

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin consulātus, equivalent to consul consul + -ātus -ate ³

Explanation

One of the buildings where diplomats work is called a consulate. Many countries have both an American embassy and an American consulate. A consul is a diplomat who works in a foreign country as her home country's representative. The consul's offices are located in the consulate. A traveler might visit his own country's consulate when he's traveling abroad and needs help of some kind — for example, if his passport has been stolen or he's gotten into legal trouble. The root of consulate is the Latin consul, "magistrate," from consulere, "to deliberate or counsel."

Example Sentences

The French Consulate in Jerusalem said it strongly condemned "the aggression".

From BBC • May 1, 2026

"On March 9, 2026, the Department of State ordered non-emergency US government employees and US government employee family members to leave Consulate General Adana due to the safety risks," the embassy said on X.

From Barron's • Mar. 9, 2026

Even to representatives of the British Consulate in New York, which helped organize the event, there was irony in hosting a party for the king in a monument to American enterprise.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

So does the Chinese Consulate, the Teamsters and the Board of Supervisors, which just last month threatened to withhold $4 million from the Zoological Society over its failure to produce audit paperwork.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 18, 2025

Within twenty-four hours she was picked up and was on board a flight to San Francisco, courtesy of the American Consulate General.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai

Related Words

• ministry