COUNCIL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does council mean? 

• COUNCIL (noun)
  The noun COUNCIL has 3 senses:

1. a body serving in an administrative capacity

2. (Christianity) an assembly of theologians and bishops and other representatives of different churches or dioceses that is convened to regulate matters of discipline or doctrine

3. a meeting of people for consultation

  Familiarity information: COUNCIL used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COUNCIL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A body serving in an administrative capacity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Context example:

student council

Hypernyms ("council" is a kind of...):

administrative body; administrative unit (a unit with administrative responsibilities)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "council"):

works council ((chiefly Brit) a council representing employer and employees of a plant or business to discuss working conditions etc; also: a committee representing the workers elected to negotiate with management about grievances and wages etc)

world council (a council with representatives from different nations)

soviet (an elected governmental council in a communist country (especially one that is a member of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics))

privy council (an advisory council to a ruler (especially to the British Crown))

panchayat; panchayet; punchayet (a village council in India or southern Pakistan)

executive council (a council that shares the supreme executive power)

city council (a municipal body that can pass ordinances and appropriate funds etc.)

NAC; North Atlantic Council (a council consisting of permanent representatives of all the member countries of NATO; has political authority and powers of decision)

Economic and Social Council; ECOSOC (a permanent council of the United Nations; responsible for economic and social conditions)

TC; Trusteeship Council (a permanent council of the United Nations that commissions a country (or countries) to undertake the administration of a territory)

SC; Security Council (a permanent council of the United Nations; responsible for preserving world peace)

Sanhedrin (the supreme judicial and ecclesiastical council of ancient Jerusalem)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(Christianity) an assembly of theologians and bishops and other representatives of different churches or dioceses that is convened to regulate matters of discipline or doctrine

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("council" is a kind of...):

assembly (a group of persons who are gathered together for a common purpose)

Domain category:

Christian religion; Christianity (a monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasizing the role of Jesus as savior)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "council"):

ecumenical council ((early Christian church) one of seven gatherings of bishops from around the known world under the presidency of the Pope to regulate matters of faith and morals and discipline)

Constantinople; Fourth Council of Constantinople (the council in 869 that condemned Photius who had become the patriarch of Constantinople without approval from the Vatican, thereby precipitating the schism between the eastern and western churches)

Lateran Council (any of five general councils of the Western Catholic Church that were held in the Lateran Palace)

First Council of Lyons; Lyons (the council of the Western Church in 1245 that excommunicated Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and planned a new crusade against the Holy Land)

Lyons; Second Council of Lyons (the council in 1274 that effected a temporary reunion of the Greek Orthodox with the Roman Catholic Church)

Council of Vienne; Vienne (the council in 1311-1313 that dealt with alleged crimes of the Knights Templar, planned a new crusade, and took on the reformation of the clergy)

Constance; Council of Constance (the council in 1414-1418 that succeeded in ending the Great Schism in the Roman Catholic Church)

Council of Basel-Ferrara-Florence (the council in 1431-1439 that concentrated on the elimination of heresies and on reforms within the Roman Catholic Church)

Council of Trent (a council of the Roman Catholic Church convened in Trento in three sessions between 1545 and 1563 to examine and condemn the teachings of Martin Luther and other Protestant reformers; redefined the Roman Catholic doctrine and abolished various ecclesiastical abuses and strengthened the papacy)

Vatican Council (each of two councils of the Roman Catholic Church)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A meeting of people for consultation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Context example:

emergency council

Hypernyms ("council" is a kind of...):

group meeting; meeting (a formally arranged gathering)

Meronyms (members of "council"):

council member; councillor (a member of a council)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "council"):

Jirga (a Pashto term for a decision making assembly of male elders)

powwow (a council of or with Native Americans)

synod (a council convened to discuss ecclesiastical business)

indaba (a council at which indigenous peoples of southern Africa meet to discuss some important question)

 Context examples 

The council was hastily called in Klosh-Kwan's dwelling, and Bim took up the tale.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Terminology to support the work of the National council for Prescription Drug Programs.

(NCPDP Terminology, NCI Thesaurus)

We held a council in the cabin.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

And, when the matter was debated in council, the wisest part of the ministry were of my opinion.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

When they came to a quiet corner, they united and held a council of war.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

“So be it, then,” said Sir Simon Burley; and the rest of the council having approved, a scanty meal was hurriedly snatched, and the advance resumed under the cover of the darkness.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

We held a council round our dismal breakfast-table, to which Mr. Berkeley Craven was invited as a man of sound wisdom and large experience in matters of sport.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Mr. Rushworth, shall we summon a council on this lawn?

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

I think we do want a larger council.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

A religious group whose beliefs are based on the practices defined by the first seven ecumenical councils and whose members are located in or descended from the people of Eastern or Southeastern Europe.

(Eastern Orthodox Christian, NCI Thesaurus)