Counsel vs Council
Counsel and council are similar in that they both involve talking and discussion, but the two words are actually quite different in their meaning. Counsel can function as both a noun and a verb. In its noun form, counsel refers to “advice or insight, especially when given by a professional.” Similarly, the verb form of counsel means “the act of giving professional advice or insight.” As for council, this noun refers to “a group of individuals formed either by voting or appointment to make laws, discuss issues, or make decisions.”
Look at the following example sentences to help clarify each word’s meaning.
Counsel (noun)
Advice or insight, especially when given by a professional
Examples:
I believe that we need to consult a lawyer for legal counsel before we make a decision.
The student received very insightful counsel from his teacher, which helped him get his grades together.
Counsel (verb)
The act of giving professional advice or insight
Examples:
When buying stocks, it is important to be counseled by a financial advisor.
The therapist’s job is to counsel patients to make better decisions for themselves.
Think of counsel as a word that is related to advice or anything related to it.
Council (noun)
A group of individuals who are formed either by voting or appointment to make laws, discuss issues or make decisions
Examples:
The city council organizes once a month to discuss local issues.
Members of the council must be elected and are allowed to serve no more than two
consecutive terms.
If every need a visual reminder of what council means, think of the shape of a council chamber as the letter c, which council has two of!
Main Points
- Counsel refers to professional advice or the act of giving such professional advice
- Council refers to a group of individuals who meet for specific purposes
- The main difference is that counsel can act as both a verb and a noun, while council can only be a noun.