counselor
Americannoun
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a faculty member who advises students on personal and academic problems, career choices, and the like.
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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.
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a lawyer, especially a trial lawyer; counselor-at-law.
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an official of an embassy or legation who ranks below an ambassador or minister.
Other Word Forms
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
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Michelle Obama's final address as First Lady (2017)
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Home of the Brave
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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.
“He was always feeding us,” said Asim Billoo, 42, a counselor for youth at the mosque.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
As an independent college counselor for the past 20 years, I’ve witnessed the diminishing interest in small private colleges.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026
From my treadmill desk, I attend “Overwhelmed and Burnt Out,” also known as “Burnout Circle,” a 45-minute Zoom meeting led by a Good Inside counselor.
From Slate • May 10, 2026
Rocío Rivas, 52, is the incumbent and Raquel Zamora, 44, a teacher and counselor, is the challenger.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026
Marvin announced that Mr. Ward Kinkade, my counselor, and Mr. Wesley Hodges, my P.E. coach, would be supervising the performance, and Bobbie Sue Winters and Glenna Burns were coordinating the event.
From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez
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.
