Council or counsel: which is correct?
Correct
council (an assembly) / counsel (advice; a lawyer; to advise)
Avoid
counsel (for an assembly: "the city counsel")
Avoid
council (for advice or a lawyer)
Summary
Correct: council (an assembly) / counsel (advice; a lawyer; to advise) — Avoid: counsel (for an assembly: "the city counsel") / council (for advice or a lawyer). Council = an elected or appointed group that governs or advises; counsel = advice, a lawyer who gives it, or the verb to advise.
- Part of speech
- noun / noun, verb
- Source
- Oxford
Why
Oxford: council is a body of people (city council, student council); counsel is advice or the lawyer who gives it, and as a verb means to advise. Councillor and counsellor follow the same split.
Examples
- The city council meets on Tuesday evenings.
- She sought legal counsel before signing the contract.
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- Merriam-Webster · Oxford English Dictionary / Oxford spelling · SCOWL
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