LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

cōnsilium

cōnsilium n (genitive cōnsiliī or cōnsilī)
Classical[kõːˈsɪ.li.ũː]Ecclesiastical[konˈsiː.li.um]
№ 217 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. plan, intention, design, purpose
    capere consilium/ inire consiliumto take a resolution, to determine to perform a plan
    Malum est cōnsilium, quod mūtārī nōn potest.Bad is the plan, which can not be changed.c. 50 BCE, Publilius Syrus, Sententiae
  2. counsel, advice
    ego sapientia habitō in cōnsiliō et ērudītīs intersum cōgitātiōnibusI, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and am present in learned thoughts. (Douay-Rheims trans., Challoner rev.; 1752 CE)c. 347 CE – 420 CE, Hieronymus, Vulgate Proverbs.8.12
  3. determination, resolve, resolution
  4. council, advisory body
  5. judgment, wisdom
  6. measure (i.e., course of action)
  7. device, stratagem (esp. in battle)

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

quod facere placuit; sapiēns amīcō cōnsilium dat.
cōnsilium -ī n — in Mille Verba, Animus et Adfectūs

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecōnsiliumcōnsilia
genitivecōnsiliī
cōnsilī		cōnsiliōrum
dativecōnsiliōcōnsiliīs
accusativecōnsiliumcōnsilia
ablativecōnsiliōcōnsiliīs
vocativecōnsiliumcōnsilia

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

suo consilio uti
to go one's own way, proceed independently.
consilio desistere
to give up a project, an intention.
consilii inopem esse
to be perplexed.
consilium dare alicui
to give a person advice.
rem ad consilium deferre
to refer a matter to a council of war.
eo consilio, ea mente, ut
with the intention of...
mediocribus consiliis uti
to adopt half-measures.
auctores consilii publici
statesmen.
26 more phrases
consilium petere ab aliquo
to apply to a person for advice.
consilium est c. Inf. or ut
my intention is...
consilium habere, convocare
to hold a council of war.
consilium, sententiam mutare
to alter one's views, intentions.
consilia inter se communicare
to take common counsel.
consilium abicere or deponere
to let a plan fall through.
consilii mei copiam facio tibi
I put myself at your disposal as regards advice.
a consilio deterreri aliqua re
to be deterred from one's intention by something.
consilium habere (de aliqua re)
to deliberate together (of a number of people).
aliquem consilio (et re) iuvare
to give a person the advantage of one's advice (and actual support).
consilia cum aliquo communicare
(1) to communicate one's plans to some one; (2) to make common cause with a person. Similarly c. causam, rationem.
consiliorum in re publica socius
a political ally.
incertus sum, quid consilii capiam
I am undecided...
publicum consilium (Phil. 7.7. 19)
the council of the nation; the senate.
aliquem in or ad consilium adhibere
to consult a person, take his advice.
omnia consilia frigent (Verr. 2. 25)
advice is useless in this case; the situation is very embarrassing.
nullo consilio, nulla ratione, temere
without reflection; inconsiderately; rashly.
consiliis arcanis interesse (Liv. 35. 18)
to be present at secret consultations.
in proposito susceptoque consilio permanere
to persevere in one's resolve.
descendere ad extrema consilia (Fam. 10. 33. 4)
to have recourse to extreme measures.
propositum, consilium tenere (opp. a proposito deterreri)
to abide by one's resolution.
omnia consilia et facta ad virtutem referre (Phil. 10. 10. 20)
to make virtue the standard in every thought and act.

consĭlĭum, ii, n. from con and root sal-; Sanscr. sar-; cf. consul,
I. deliberation, consultation, a considering together, counsel (cf. concilium; very freq. in all periods and species of composition).
I. Prop.: consulta sunt consilia, are finished, at an end, Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 7: quid in consilio consuluistis? id. Bacch. 1, 1, 6 Ritschl: consilium volo capere unā tecum, Ter. Eun. 3, 5, 66: neque pol consili locum habeo neque ad auxilium copiam, id. And. 2, 1, 20: cum aliquo consilia conferre, Cic. Phil. 2, 15, 38 (v. confero, I. B.): saepe in senatu consilia versata sunt, Quint. 12, 2, 21; 7, 4, 2: quasi vero consilii sit res, et non necesse sit, etc., as if the matter were yet open for deliberation, Caes. B. G. 7, 38; cf. Nep. Con. 4, 2: quid efficere possis, tui consilii est, is for you to consider, Cic. Fam. 3, 2, 2: vestrum jam consilium est. non solum meum, quid sit vobis faciendum, id. ib. 14, 14, 1: quid aetati credendum sit, quid nomini, magni consilii est, id. Att. 15, 12, 2; cf.: nihil mihi adhuc accidit, quod majoris consilii esset, id. ib. 10, 1, 3: in consilio habere, Quint. 8, 2, 23: fit publici consilii particeps, Cic. Cat. 1, 1, 2; cf. Quint. 12, 3, 1; 3, 8, 4: nocturna, Sall. C. 42, 2: arcanis ut interesset, Liv. 35, 18, 2 et saep.—
II. Meton.
A. In abstr.
1. A conclusion made with consideration, a determination, resolution, measure, plan, purpose, intention, Quint. 6, 5, 3; cf.: consilium est aliquid faciendi aut non faciendi excogitata ratio, Cic. Inv. 1, 25, 36; 2, 9, 31: certum, Ter. And. 2, 3, 16: callidum, id. ib. 3, 4, 10: ut sunt Gallorum subita et repentina consilia, Caes. B. G. 3, 8: aliquid communi consilio agere, id. ib.: consilium communicaverunt perfeceruntque, Suet. Calig. 56: aedificandi consilium abicere, Cic. Att. 5, 11, 6; Liv. 33, 41, 5; Tac. A. 4, 4: deponere, Caes. B. C. 3, 103.—And of the purpose. as opp. to the act, etc.: quod initio scripsi, totius facti tui judicium non tam ex consilio tuo quam ex eventu homines esse facturos, Cic. Fam. 1, 7, 5: quasi exitus rerum, non hominum consilia, legibus vindicentur, id. Mil. 7, 19: mentem peccare, non corpus, et unde consilium afuerit culpam abesse, Liv. 1, 58, 9. —Often with epithets characterizing the person who forms the purpose, etc.: amentissimum, Cic. Att. 7, 10 init.: audax, Liv. 25, 38, 18; 35, 32, 13: fortissima cousilia, id. 25, 38, 18: fidele, Cic. Agr. 2, 3, 5; Curt. 6, 4, 8: providens, Gell. 3, 7, 8: malum, id. 4, 5, 5: temerarium, Vell. 2, 120, 2: incautum, Cic. Att. 8, 9, 3: lene, Hor. C. 3, 4, 41: praeceps, Suet. Aug. 8: repudio quod consilium primum intenderam, Ter. And. 4, 3, 18: eo consilio, uti frumento Caesarem intercluderet, Caes. B. G. 1, 48; 2, 9; Cic. Fin. 1, 21, 72 fin.; Sall. C. 57, 1: quo consilio huc imus? Ter. Eun. 5, 7, 1; also: hoc consilio ut, Nep. Milt. 5, 3: privato consilio, on one's own account (opp. publico consilio, in the name or behalf of the state): qui contra consulem privato consilio exercitus comparaverunt, Cic. Phil. 3, 6, 14; Caes. B. C. 3, 14; Nep. Pelop. 1, 2.—Sometimes absol. consilio adverbially, intentionally, designedly: casu potius quam consilio, Cic. Fam. 5, 2, 8: consul, seu forte, seu consilio, Venusiam perfugit, Liv. 22, 49, 14; 35, 14, 4; Verg. A. 7, 216.—
b. Esp. in the phrases,
(a). Consilium capere, to form a purpose or plan, to resolve, decide, determine: neque, quid nunc consili capiam, scio, De virgine istac, Ter. Eun. 5, 2, 27: consilium capere with a gen. gerund., Caes. B. G. 3, 2; 5, 29; Cic. Att. 5, 11, 6; Liv. 39, 51, 3; 43, 3, 7; 35, 34, 4; 10, 38, 6; Sall. C. 16, 4; Curt. 8, 6, 8; 8, 7, 1; Tac. A. 6, 26; Suet. Vesp. 6; Quint. 11, 3, 180; Just. 2, 13, 5; 34, 4, 1; cf. with gen.: profectionis et reversionis meae, Cic. Phil. 1, 1, 1.—With inf., Cic. Quint. 16, 53 fin.; Caes. B. G. 7, 71; Nep. Lys. 3, 1; Liv. 44, 11, 6 al.—With ut: capio consilium, ut senatum congerronum convocem, Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 8: consilium ceperunt plenum sceleris, ut nomen hujus deferrent, Cic. Rosc. Am. 10, 28; Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 54, § 140: consilium cepi, ut antequam luceret exirem, id. Att. 7. 10; id. Tull. 14, 34; Liv. 25, 34, 7.—And with inf.: consilium cepit ... iter in urbem patefacere, Liv. 44, 11, 7: hominis fortunas evertere, Cic. Quint. 16, 53: Heraclius capit consilium ... non adesse ad judicium, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 17, § 41: ex oppido profugere, Caes. B. G. 7, 26; 7, 71; Just. 35, 1, 3.—
(b). In the same sense, inire consilium, with similar construction: inita sunt consilia urbis delendae, Cic. Mur. 37, 80; 38, 81: regni occupandi consilium inire, Liv. 2, 8, 2; 6, 17, 7; 7, 38, 5: jus gentium cujus violandi causā consilium initum erat, id. 38, 25, 8; 4, 11, 4: sceleris conandi consilia inierat, Vell. 2, 35, 5; 2, 80, 6: Graeci consilium ineunt interrumpendi pontis, Just. 2, 13, 5; Suet. Calig. 48: iniit consilia reges Lacedaemoniorum tollere, Nep. Lys. 3, 1: consilia inibat, quemadmodum, etc., Caes. B. G. 7, 43: de bello consilia inire incipiunt, id. ib. 7, 1: cum de recuperandā libertate consilium initum videretur, id. ib. 5, 27: consilia inita de regno, Liv. 4, 15, 4: atrox consilium init, ut, etc., Tac. H. 3, 41.—
(g). Freq. consilium est, with and without inf., I purpose: ita facere, Plaut. Mil. 2, 3, 73; Ter. Hec. 3, 5, 44; Cic. Att. 5, 5, 1; Sall. C. 4, 1; 53, 6; Liv. 21, 63, 2; Sall. H. Fragm. 4, 61, 16 Dietsch. —Rarely with ut: ut filius Cum illà habitet ... hoc nostrum consilium fuit, Ter. Phorm. 5, 8, 41: ea uti acceptā mercede deseram, non est consilium, Sall. J. 85, 8; and absol.: quid sui consilii sit, ostendit, Caes. B. G. 1, 21.—Hence,
c. In partic., in milit. lang., a warlike measure, device, stratagem: consilium imperatorium quod Graeci στρατήγημα appellant, Cic. N. D. 3, 6, 15; so Caes. B. G. 7, 22; Nep. Dat. 6, 8; id. Iphicr. 1, 2; cf.: opportunus consiliis locus (= insidiis), Quint. 5, 10, 37.—
d. With special reference to the person for whose advantage a measure is devised, counsel, advice: tu quidem antehac aliis solebas dare consilia mutua, Plaut. Ep. 1, 1, 98; so, dare, Ter. And. 2, 1, 9: quid das consili? Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 93: Cethegum minus ei fidele consilium dedisse, Cic. Clu. 31, 85: vos lene consilium datis, Hor. C. 3, 4, 41; 3, 5, 45 et saep.: juvabo aut re aut operā aut consilio bono, Plaut. Ps. 1, 1, 17; imitated by Ter.: aut consolando aut consilio aut re juvero, Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 34 (quoted ap. Cic. Fam. 7, 10, 4); cf. Ter. Heaut. 5, 2, 29; Cic. Fam. 2, 7, 2; 15, 2, 2; id. Att. 13, 31, 3: te hortor ut omnia moderere prudentiā tuā, ne te auferant aliorum consilia, id. Fam. 2, 7, 1: sin aliquid impertivit tibi sui consilii, id. ib. 5, 2, 9: consiliis, non curribus utere nostris, Ov. M. 2, 146: facile ratio tam salubris consilii accepta est, Curt. 3, 7, 10: saniora consilia pati, id. 4, 1, 9.—
2. As a mental quality, understanding, judgment, wisdom, sense, penetration, prudence: et dominari in corpore toto Consilium quod nos animum mentemque vocamus, Lucr. 3, 139; 3, 450: acta illa res est animo virili, consilio puerili, Cic. Att. 14, 21, 3; cf. id. Caecin. 7, 18: ut popularis cupiditas a consilio principum dissideret, id. Sest. 49, 103: majore studio quam consilio ad bellum proficisci, Sall. H. 2, 96, 4 Dietsch: res forte quam consilio melius gestae, id. J. 92, 6: quae quanto consilio gerantur, nullo consilio adsequi possumus, Cic. N. D. 2, 38, 97: simul consilium cum re amisisti? Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 10; cf.: miseros prudentia prima relinquit, Et sensus cum re consiliumque fugit, Ov. P. 4, 12, 48: mulieres omnes propter infirmitatem consilii majores in tutorum potestate esse voluerunt, Cic. Mur. 12, 27: vir et consilii magni et virtutis, Caes. B. G. 3, 5: cum plus in illo senili animo non consilii modo sed etiam virtutis esse dicerent, Liv. 4, 13, 13; so, tam iners, tam nulli consili Sum, Ter. And. 3, 5, 2: est hoc principium improbi animi, miseri ingenii, nulli consilii, Cic. Rosc. Com. 16, 48: omnes gravioris aetatis, in quibus aliquid consilii aut dignitatis fuit, Caes. B. G. 3, 16; cf. Ov. M. 6, 40: misce stultitiam consiliis brevem, Hor. C. 4, 12, 27: quae res in se neque consilium neque modum Habet ullum, eam consilio regere non potes, Ter. Eun. 1, 1, 13. —
b. Poet., transf., of inanim. things: consilii inopes ignes, indiscreet, Ov. M. 9, 746: vis consili expers, Hor. C. 3, 4, 65; id. S. 2, 3, 266.—
B. In concr., the persons who deliberate, a council; of the Roman senate: senatum, id est orbis terrae consilium, delere gestit, Cic. Phil. 4, 6, 14; id. Fam. 3, 8, 4; id. de Or. 2, 82, 333; id. Sest. 65, 137: summum consilium orbis terrae, id. Phil. 7, 7, 19; Liv. 1, 8, 7; 23, 22, 2; Vell. 1, 8, 6: di prohibeant, ut hoc, quod majores consilium publicum vocari voluerunt, praesidium sectorum existimetur, i. e. a court of justice, Cic. Rosc. Am. 52, 151; cf.: qui ex civitate in senatum propter dignitatem, ex senatu in hoc consilium delecti estis propter severitatem, id. ib. 3, 8.—Of the division of the centumviri, who sat for ordinary cases in four consilia: sedebant centum et octoginta judices, tot enim quattuor consiliis colliguntur, Plin. Ep. 6, 33, 2: omnibus non solum consiliis sed etiam sententiis superior discessit, Val. Max. 7, 7, 1: Galba consilio celeriter convocato sententias exquirere coepit, a council of war, Caes. B. G. 3, 3; cf.: consilio advocato, Liv. 25, 31, 3; 43, 22, 9 al.: castrense, id. 44, 35, 4: mittunt (Carthaginienses) triginta seniorum principes: id erat sanctius apud illos consilium, id. 30, 16, 3; cf. id. 35, 34, 2: consilium Jovis, Hor. C. 3, 25, 6: bonorum atque sapientium, Quint. 3, 8, 2 al.—
b. Facetiously: paulisper tace, Dum ego mihi consilia in animum convoco, et dum consulo, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 44.—
c. (Acc. to II. A. 1. c.) A counsellor: ille ferox hortator pugnae consiliumque fuit, Ov. Tr. 4, 2, 32: Clymene, Aethraque, Quae mihi sunt comites consiliumque duae, id. H. 16 (17), 268; id. F. 3, 276.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Latincōnsilium

Proto-Indo-European *selh₁-der. Latin *sulo Latin cōnsulō Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -iusnom. Latin -ium Latin cōnsilium From cōnsulō + -ium. Compare cōnsidium.

Descendants
  • Catalanconsell
  • Portugueseconselhofrom Old Galician-Portuguese conselho
  • Italianconsiglio
  • Occitanconselh
  • Portugueseconsílio
  • Romanianconsiliu
  • Sardinianconsígiu
  • Spanishconsejofrom Old Spanish consejo
  • Spanishconsilio
  • Albaniankëshill

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesConsiliumConsilium a select assembly of official persons who sat together (root sed); thus distinguished from concilium, a public meeting of unofficial persons…

Quick answers

What does cōnsilium mean in Latin?
cōnsilium, a noun, means “plan, intention, design, purpose; counsel, advice; determination, resolve, resolution”.
What is the genitive of cōnsilium?
The genitive singular is cōnsiliī. cōnsilium is neuter, second declension.
How do you pronounce cōnsilium?
In classical Latin, [kõːˈsɪ.li.ũː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [konˈsiː.li.um].
Where does cōnsilium come from?
Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? → Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm → Proto-Italic *kom → Proto-Italic *kom- → Latin cōnsilium.