counselor
Americannoun
-
a faculty member who advises students on personal and academic problems, career choices, and the like.
-
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.
-
a lawyer, especially a trial lawyer; counselor-at-law.
-
an official of an embassy or legation who ranks below an ambassador or minister.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of counselor
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English counseiler, counseillour, from Anglo-French cunseiler, cunseiliour, Old French conseilleor, conseillier; see origin at counsel, -eur, -er 2, -or 2
Explanation
A counselor is the person you can consult in your time of need. Your school guidance counselor may suggest you take Spanish class next school year. Bueno? How you define counselor depends on where you are at the time. In court, a counselor is the lawyer who gives clients advice on legal issues and pleads their case in court. During a therapy session, a counselor helps people understand and resolve personal issues. And at summer camp, a counselor is the person who supervises the children's activities and makes sure they stay safe.
Vocabulary lists containing counselor
Tears of a Tiger
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Michelle Obama's final address as First Lady (2017)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Home of the Brave
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She also became a counselor who worked with survivors, and a trainer who worked with volunteers, teaching them how to interact with victims.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2026
Emboldened, Martin, who was a high school guidance counselor, found her second calling as a food safety advocate, testifying against raw-milk-access bills across the country.
From Salon • Jun. 22, 2026
During my own marriage’s breakdown, a counselor put out wooden animal figurines.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026
He was previously the global head of M&A for Lazard and a top counselor to foreign governments, advising on high-profile debt workouts in Iraq and Greece.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
Ms. Dale isn’t just the leader of Friendship Club; she’s the guidance counselor for the whole school.
From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
