Counsel and council are confusing words. The words council and counsel are homonyms. They sound the same, yet they are spelled differently. A council is a group of people convened to advise, consult, or deliberate a matter. ‘Council‘ is used for a group of people who are assembled for a specific purpose, i.e. to discuss something or arrive at a decision. On the other hand, ‘to counsel‘ means to provide guidance to a person. “Counsel” can be used both as a noun and as a verb, referring to similar concepts, but as different parts of speech.
A council is meeting for discussion or advice, but to counsel is a verb meaning to give advice. The word ‘council’ is a collective noun, whereas ‘counsel’ can be used as a verb or as a noun in sentences.
Difference between Council and Counsel –
COUNCIL
- A council is a body of people, convened or elected by the members for a definite purpose.
- Council is a noun meaning an assembly of people, often elected or appointed, brought together to discuss or deliberate something.
- The word ‘council’ is used to refer a body of individuals who are so elected or brought together to represent a certain group of people for discussion, consideration, advice, recommend or decide something on a particular matter.
- ‘Council’ refers to a group of people who are chosen to represent a community, city, society, etc. They are the ones who discuss, decide, and give suggestions on various matters.
- The term council can also be used to indicate the board of directors of a company or elected influential ministers who run the organization/government and makes laws.
- The council refers to an assembly of people who plays an administrative, legislative or advisory role. Council members are termed as councillors.
- Example: We will discuss the matter in the council meeting. The college management formed a student’s rights council.
COUNSEL
- The word ‘counsel’ is just another word for advice, suggestion, or guidance provided.
- Counsel as a verb means to advise; as a noun, it means the person doing the advising (such as an attorney) or the advice itself
- As a verb the word ‘counsel’ implies advice result, often given by an expert to a person, to face or resolve, personal, social, or professional issues.
- The word ‘counsel’ is used to give advice to someone or suggest/recommend something to someone, especially on a personal problem.
- The specialist who takes the counselling sessions is called as a counsellor, whereas the person who is being counselled is considered as the client.
- In the United States, it refers to the lawyer appointed to give advice and represents an entity or individual in the court of law. It may also mean a group of lawyers who represent another person in the court of law, i.e. defense counsel or prosecuting counsel.
- Example: Riya was counselled by his mentor to give her best in the exam. Robin started taking counseling sessions for depression.
