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counselor

[koun-suh-ler]
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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.
  5. an official of an embassy or legation who ranks below an ambassador or minister.
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Also especially British, coun·sel·lor.

Origin of counselor

1175–1225; Middle English counseiler < Anglo-French cunseiler, cunseiliour, Old French conseilleor. See counsel, -eur, -er2, -or2
Related formscoun·se·lor·ship; especially British, coun·sel·lor·ship, nounpre·coun·sel·lor, noun
Can be confusedcouncillor counselor

Synonyms

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4. counsel, advocate, attorney; solicitor, barrister.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

barrister, counselor, advocate, head, ruler, chief, commander, director, manager, officer, trainer, adviser, coach, guide, tutor, instructor, teacher, attorney, justice, counsel

Examples from the Web for counsellor

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

British Dictionary definitions for counsellor

counsellor

US counselor

noun
  1. a person who gives counsel; adviser
  2. a person, such as a social worker, who is involved in counselling
  3. Also called: counselor-at-law US a lawyer, esp one who conducts cases in court; attorney
  4. a senior British diplomatic officer
  5. a US diplomatic officer ranking just below an ambassador or minister
  6. a person who advises students or others on personal problems or academic and occupational choice
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Derived Formscounsellorship or US counselorship, noun

confusable

Avoid confusion with councillor
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for counsellor

n.

early 13c., from Old French conseillier (Modern French conseiller), from Latin consilator, agent noun from consiliare, from consilium (see counsel (v.)). Meaning "one who gives professional legal advice" is from 1530s. Psychological sense (marriage counsellor, etc., is from 1940).

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counselor

n.

see counsellor.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper