Standard Lemma guide

counselor

noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈkaʊnsələ(ɹ)/
  • /ˈkaʊnslə(ɹ)/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • homophone: councilor
  • CMU ARPABET: K AW1 N S AH0 L ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A professional who counsels people, especially on personal problems.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A school counselor, often in a specialty such as careers, education, or health.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: education

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An attorney.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: advocate, counsel, abogado, attorney, avocat, counselor, latitat, lawman, lawyer, legal representative, limb of the law, man of law

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A high ranking diplomat, usually just below an ambassador or minister.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: government, politics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A children’s supervisor, usually at camp.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

a lawyer who pleads cases in court

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: advocate, counsel, counsellor, counselor-at-law, pleader

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: lawyer, attorney

7

noun

Meaning 7

someone who gives advice about problems

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: counsellor

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: adviser, advisor, consultant

Narrower terms: Dutch uncle, Nestor

8

noun

Meaning 8

someone who has supervisory duties at a summer camp

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: counsellor

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: supervisor

History

Etymology

From Middle English counseilour, counseiler, from Anglo-Norman cunseiler, from Old French conseillier, from Latin cōnsiliārius, agent noun from cōnsilior (“to take counsel”), from cōnsilium (“plan, council, wisdom, advice”). Compare councilor. Displaced native Middle English redere, Middle English redesman, and Middle English redyeve, from Old English rǣdġiefa (literally “advice giver”).

Across languages

Translations

66 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: berader — professional who counsels people
  • Albanian: këshilltar — professional who counsels people
  • Bulgarian: съве́тник (sǎvétnik) — professional who counsels people
  • Chamorro: a'akonseha — professional who counsels people
  • Chinese Mandarin: 顧問 /顾问 (gùwèn) — professional who counsels people
  • Czech: poradce — professional who counsels people
  • Czech: poradkyně — professional who counsels people
  • Faroese: ráðgevi — professional who counsels people
  • Finnish: neuvoja — professional who counsels people
  • French: conseiller — professional who counsels people
  • French: conseillère — professional who counsels people
  • Galician: orientador — professional who counsels people
  • Galician: conselleiro — professional who counsels people
  • German: Berater — professional who counsels people
  • German: Beraterin — professional who counsels people
  • Gothic: 𐍂𐌰𐌲𐌹𐌽𐌴𐌹𐍃 (ragineis) — professional who counsels people
  • Ancient Greek: σύμβουλος (súmboulos) — professional who counsels people
  • Ancient Greek: μήστωρ (mḗstōr) — professional who counsels people
  • Hebrew: יוֹעֵץ (yo'étz) — professional who counsels people
  • Hindi: परामर्शदाता (parāmarśadātā) — professional who counsels people
  • Hungarian: tanácsadó — professional who counsels people
  • Indonesian: konselor — professional who counsels people
  • Ingrian: nevvoja — professional who counsels people
  • Japanese: 顧問 (komon) — professional who counsels people
  • Japanese: 相談役 (sōdan'yaku) — professional who counsels people
  • Japanese: カウンセラー (kaunserā) — professional who counsels people
  • Javanese: mantri — professional who counsels people
  • Latin: consiliātor — professional who counsels people
  • Macedonian: советник (sovetnik) — professional who counsels people
  • Malay: kaunselor — professional who counsels people
  • Old English: rǣdġiefa — professional who counsels people
  • Old English: wita — professional who counsels people
  • Pannonian Rusyn: совитнїк (sovitnjik) — professional who counsels people
  • Pannonian Rusyn: совитнїца (sovitnjica) — professional who counsels people
  • Persian: مشاور (mošâver) — professional who counsels people
  • Romanian: consilier — professional who counsels people
  • Romanian: consilieră — professional who counsels people
  • Romanian: sfătuitor — professional who counsels people
  • Romanian: sfătuitoare — professional who counsels people
  • Romanian: consultant — professional who counsels people
  • Romanian: consultantă — professional who counsels people
  • Russian: консульта́нт (konsulʹtánt) — professional who counsels people
  • Russian: консульта́нтка (konsulʹtántka) — professional who counsels people
  • Russian: сове́тник (sovétnik) — professional who counsels people
  • Russian: сове́тница (sovétnica) — professional who counsels people
  • Scottish Gaelic: neach-comhairle — professional who counsels people
  • Spanish: consejero — professional who counsels people
  • Swedish: kurator — professional who counsels people
  • Swedish: socialkurator — professional who counsels people
  • Tagalog: tagapayo — professional who counsels people
  • Turkish: nasihatçi — professional who counsels people
  • Ottoman Turkish: نصیحتجی (nasihatci) — professional who counsels people
  • Ukrainian: ра́дник (rádnyk) — professional who counsels people
  • Ukrainian: ра́дниця (rádnycja) — professional who counsels people
  • Welsh: cynghorydd — professional who counsels people
  • Hungarian: ügyvéd — attorney
  • Old English: ǣwita — attorney
  • Hebrew: מַדְרִיךְ (madríkh) — camp counselor
  • Hebrew: מַדְרִיכָה (madrikhá) — camp counselor
  • Hungarian: felügyelő — camp counselor
  • Hungarian: felvigyázó — camp counselor
  • Hungarian: gyerekfelügyelő — camp counselor
  • Hungarian: gyerekfelvigyázó — camp counselor
  • Russian: вожа́тый (vožátyj) — camp counselor
  • Russian: вожа́тая (vožátaja) — camp counselor
  • Yakut: баһаатай (bahaatay) — camp counselor
Real reading context

counselor in complete knowledge articles