proconsul

[proh-kon-suh l]

noun

Roman History. an official, usually a former consul, who acted as governor or military commander of a province, and who had powers similar to those of a consul.

any appointed administrator over a dependency or an occupied area.

Nearby words

Origin of proconsul

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin prōconsul; see pro-¹, consul

Related formspro·con·su·lar, adjectivepro·con·su·lar·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for proconsular

He went to Africa with proconsular authority, and of course fleeced the Africans.
Life of Cicero|Anthony Trollope
The year 51-50 Cicero spent, most unwillingly, as proconsular governor in far-off Cilicia.
Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern, Vol. 9|Various
The Consuls remained at home, and Generals were sent out with proconsular authority.
Life of Cicero|Anthony Trollope
Finding a suitable building for the Proconsular Palace would present difficulties.
A Slave is a Slave|Henry Beam Piper

A legate being appointed by the emperor over the conquered countries, Britain became a proconsular province.
Old English Chronicles|Various

British Dictionary definitions for proconsular

proconsul

noun

an administrator or governor of a colony, occupied territory, or other dependency

(in ancient Rome) the governor of a senatorial province

Derived Formsproconsular (prəʊˈkɒnsjʊlə), adjectiveproconsulate or proconsulship, noun

Word Origin for proconsul

C14: from Latin, from prō consule (someone acting) for the consul. See pro- ², consul

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 proconsular

proconsul

late 14c., "governor or military commander of an ancient Roman province," from Latin proconsul "governor of a province; military commander," from phrase pro consule "(acting) in place of a consul," from pro- "in place of" (see pro-) + ablative of consul. In modern use usually rhetorical, but it was a title of certain commissioners in the French Revolution, was used in English for "deputy consul," and was used again of U.S. administrators in Iraq during the occupation. Related: Proconsular.