Council

easyNeutral tone

KOWN-sul

noun

Definition

An advisory, deliberative, or legislative body of people

Memory hook

COUNCIL: a group that sits together (concilium) — an advisory or governing body (not counsel = advice).

See more GRE words with mnemonics.

Word roots

conciliumassembly(Latin)

Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.

Examples

The city council voted to approve the new zoning regulations.
She was elected to the student council.

Test yourself

Fill in the blank with the right word:

The city ______ voted to approve the new zoning regulations.
Show answer

council

Synonyms

assemblycommitteetribunalboard

Antonyms

individualsoloistlonerhermit

Categories

View all Government words

GRE Tip

Council is a easy-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "assembly" or "committee" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "individual".

Read: How to Memorize GRE Words That Actually Stick

Related GRE Words

Master council and 1,000+ GRE words

Learn through stories, practice with real GRE questions, and never forget with spaced repetition.