Definition of "consul"

consul

/ˈkɒn.səl/

noun
plural consuls
1. (historical) 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. (historical) Any of the three heads of government and state of France between 1799 and 1804.
3. (obsolete) A count or earl.
4. (obsolete or historical) A councillor, particularly:
  1. (historical) A member of early modern city councils in southern France and Catalonia.
  2. (historical) An officer of the trading and merchant companies of early modern England.
  3. (historical) An official in various early modern port and trading towns, elected by resident foreign merchants to settle disputes among themselves and to represent them to the local authorities.
5. (by extension) An official residing in major foreign towns to represent and protect the interests of the merchants and citizens of their country.
6. (obsolete) A high government official, generally either a coruler himself or a counsellor directly under the ruler.
  Quotations
  Both we will raigne as Conſuls of the earth,And mightie kings ſhall be our Senators.
  c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, (please specify the page)
  And many of the Conſuls, rais'd and met, Are at the Dukes already.
  c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene ii], page 312, column 1
  With kinges and conſules of the earth, which build themſelves ſolitarie places:
  1609, The Holie Bible, […] (Douay–Rheims Bible), Doway: Lavrence Kellam, […], Iob 3:14, page 1065

Definition of "consul"

consul

noun

Quotations