consul, title of the two chief magistrates of ancient Rome. The institution is supposed to have arisen with the expulsion of the kings, traditionally in 510 BC, and it was well established by the early 4th cent. BC The consuls led the troops, controlled the treasury, and were supreme in the government. At first only patricians were eligible, but in 367 BC the Licinian law opened the office to plebeians. Before becoming consul a man generally had to have experience as quaestor, aedile, and praetor, and the minimum age for a consul was normally set at 40 or 45. Ex-consuls became provincial governors as proconsuls. The year was identified by the names of the two consuls in office during that time. Under the empire the title of consul was continued, but only as a title of honor, sometimes conferred on infants or small boys.

con·sul / ˈkänsəl/ • n. 1. an official appointed by a government to live in a foreign city and protect and promote the government's citizens and interests there. 2. (in ancient Rome) one of the two annually elected chief magistrates who jointly ruled the republic. ∎  any of the three chief magistrates of the first French republic (1799–1804). DERIVATIVES: con·su·lar / ˈkäns(y)ələr/ adj. con·sul·ship / -ˌship/ n.

consul supreme magistrate in the ancient Roman republic XIV; applied to various magistrates or chief officials, spec. head of a merchant company resident in a foreign country XV; representative agent of a state in commercial relations with a foreign country XVI. — L., rel. to consultāre (see next).
So consulate XIV; see -ATE 1.

consul One of the two chief magistrates of ancient Rome. In some accounts, the office was established in 510 bc. Consuls were elected each year to administer civil and military matters. After 367 bc, one consul was a patrician, the other a plebeian, each having the power to veto the other's decisions.

consul in ancient Rome, one of the two annually elected chief magistrates who jointly ruled the republic; any of the three chief magistrates of the first French republic (1799–1804). The word derives ultimately from Latin consulere ‘take counsel’.

consul •hassle, Kassel, passel, tassel, vassal •axel, axle •cancel, hansel, Hänsel, Mansell •transaxle •castle, metatarsal, parcel, tarsal •chancel • sandcastle • Newcastle •Bessel, nestle, pestle, redressal, trestle, vessel, wrestle •Edsel • Texel •intercensal, pencil, stencil •pretzel • staysail • mainsail • Wiesel •abyssal, bristle, epistle, gristle, missal, scissel, thistle, whistle •pixel • plimsoll •tinsel, windsail •schnitzel, spritsail •Birtwistle •paradisal, sisal, trysail •apostle, colossal, dossal, fossil, glossal, jostle, throstle •consul, proconsul, tonsil •dorsal, morsel •council, counsel, groundsel •Mosul • fo'c's'le, forecastle •bustle, hustle, muscle, mussel, Russell, rustle, tussle •gunsel • corpuscle •disbursal, dispersal, Purcell, rehearsal, reversal, succursal, tercel, transversal, traversal, universal •Herzl