# consul

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkɒn.səl/ · frequency rank #12,948

## Definitions
1. Either of the two heads of government and state of the Roman Republic or the equivalent nominal post under the Roman and Byzantine Empires.
2. Any of the three heads of government and state of France between 1799 and 1804.
3. A count or earl.
4. A councillor
5. A councillor
6. A councillor
7. An official residing in major foreign towns to represent and protect the interests of the merchants and citizens of their country.
8. A high government official, generally either a coruler himself or a counsellor directly under the ruler.

## Etymology
From Middle English consul, from Old English consul, from Latin cōnsul.

## Easily confused with
- **counsel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/consul-vs-counsel)
- **consume** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/consul-vs-consume)
- **consult** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/consul-vs-consult)
- **consular** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/consul-vs-consular)
- **cons** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cons-vs-consul)
- **census** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/census-vs-consul)
- **concur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/concur-vs-consul)
- **console** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/console-vs-consul)

## Common misspellings (9)
`cconsul`, `cnosul`, `connsul`, `conslu`, `conssul`, `consull`, `conusl`, `cosnul`, `ocnsul`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/consul