counselor

especially British, coun·sel·lor

[koun-suh-ler]

noun

1. a person who counsels; adviser.

2. a faculty member who advises students on personal and academic problems, career choices, and the like.

3. an assistant at a children's camp, often a high school or college student, who supervises a group of children or directs a particular activity, as nature study or a sport.

4. a lawyer, especially a trial lawyer; counselor-at-law.

   Synonyms: advocate, counsel, barrister, solicitor, attorney

5. an official of an embassy or legation who ranks below an ambassador or minister.

Other Word Forms

• counselorship noun
• precounsellor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of counselor¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English counseiler, counseillour, from Anglo-French cunseiler, cunseiliour, Old French conseilleor, conseillier; counsel, -eur, -er ², -or ²

Example Sentences

Licensed professional counselor Kaley Chiles challenged the restrictions, arguing that Colorado was violating the Constitution’s guarantee of free speech by stopping her from counseling young people who wanted guidance informed by Christian convictions.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

If you want unbiased help navigating your choices, sign up now for an appointment with your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program External link, or SHIP, whose counselors are likely to be in high demand.

Read more on Barron's

In defense of the law, Colorado state solicitor Shannon Stevenson said the law applies only to licensed counselors.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

This year, however, she and other counselors detected acute emotional reactions: anxiety, sorrow and fear after a summer of intensified immigration raids.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal group, sued on behalf of a Colorado counselor and argued that the state is “censoring” her speech.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• advocate 
• instructor 
• mentor 
• teacher