Verbum Hodiernum: CONSILIUM

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CONSILIUM Dictionary Entry

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Today's word is the noun CONSILIUM. The basic meaning of this word is "deliberation," but in the sense of "deliberating together," as indicated by the prefix con- which forms part of the noun. The word consilium can also the "plan" itself which results from that deliberation. It can also refer to the "judgment" or "reasoning" which guides that deliberation, or the "council," the people themselves who participate in the deliberation. There is also another Latin word, concilium, which refers strictly to the assembly.

Both consilium and concilium have given rise to words in English. The noun "council" is the group of people who engage in deliberation, and a "councillor" is a member of that group. The word "counsel" can be used either as a noun or as a verb; as a verb "counsel" means to give advice, and the noun "counsel" can mean an advisor (usually a lawyer or legal advisor) or it can mean the advice that is given. A "counselor" is someone who gives that advice.

Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs; for more information, see the page at the Scala Sapientiae, which contains notes on some of the proverbs cited below, as well as additional proverbs:

Consilio et animo.

Nox dabit consilium.

A sene consilium quaeras.

Quod senior loquitur, omnes consilium putant.

Fortuna hominibus plus quam consilium valet.

Fortuna nulli plus quam consilium valet.

Facta iuvenum, consilia virorum, vota senum.

Quam miserum est, ubi consilium casu vincitur!

Malum est consilium, quod mutari non potest.

Nullum consilium est quod mutari non potest.

Sapientis est mutare consilium.

Qui autem sapiens est, audit consilia.

Auxilium peto, non consilium.

Qui dedit consilium, ferat auxilium.

Consilia minus utilia sunt quam exempla.

Fortuna fortis superat consilia hominum.

Frustra laborat vir qui consilio caret.

Consilio, non impetu opus est.

Consilium custodiet te.

Admitte consilium bonum, quicumque det.