consulate

American  

[kon-suh-lit] / ˈkɒn sə lɪt /

noun

• consulates
  plural

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.

---

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

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• consulates
  plural

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

See Examples For:

consulate consulates

The only real crowds are to be found in the daytime -- at banks, cheap bakeries and outside the Spanish consulate, where hundreds clutch papers and wait to get off the island.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

The Uzkbek consulate in Tatarstan said seven of those killed were citizens of Uzbekistan.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

She was later told by the Italian consulate that those without scholarships would not be evacuated.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

The U.S. consulate rejected Zhou’s visa application in April 2025.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

That night Habib called the American consulate and Khala Nargis and told them where to find Mariam.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai

At times, he admitted in the plea, he falsely claimed to have previously worked for the DEA, claimed to be an attorney or claimed to be doing work with or at U.S. consulates.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026

They were relocated to Musina from various cities where migrants had gathered outside government offices or foreign consulates for help to get home.

From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026

Appointments at U.S. consulates can routinely take months or even years to secure, meaning prospective applicants face prolonged time away from their U.S.-based jobs or family.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026

American citizens were urged to check "the latest security updates" with nearby embassies and consulates, and given hotlines for if they need help leaving the region.

From BBC ● Mar. 3, 2026

Since 2002, the Beijing government had been attempting—with considerable success—to stop North Koreans from rushing into foreign embassies and consulates to seek asylum.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

Related Words

• ministry