A council is a body of people who meet to decide things: "The city council voted to close the road." Counsel is advice, or the act of advising, or a barrister: "She sought legal counsel before signing." One is a group; the other is guidance.
The core difference
Council is only ever a noun, and it always names a set of people. Counsel is both noun and verb, and it always concerns advice — including the person paid to give it in court.
Using "council"
- The parish council meets on the first Tuesday of the month.
- He was elected to the council at twenty-four.
- a council house, a council tax bill, a student council
- the UN Security Council
Using "counsel"
As a noun meaning advice, it is formal and often appears in fixed phrases:
- She took counsel from her old tutor.
- He kept his own counsel. (said nothing about his views)
- a counsel of despair, a counsel of perfection
As a verb it means to advise or to give therapeutic support:
- The charity counsels families through bereavement.
- His solicitor counselled him to settle.
And in law it means the barrister or barristers on a case — notably with no plural s: Counsel for the defence rose, Both counsel agreed. Hence King's Counsel (KC), general counsel.
The test
Substitute. If committee or board fits, write council. If advice or advise fits, write counsel. "The board voted" works, so council. "She sought legal advice" works, so counsel.
The derived forms — where it really goes wrong
The nouns for people are the commonest error of the pair, and they are not interchangeable:
- councillor — an elected member of a council. (US: councilor)
- counsellor — someone who gives advice or therapy; in the US and in diplomacy, also a lawyer or embassy officer. (US: counselor)
So a local politician is Councillor Ahmed, while the person you see about your anxiety is a counsellor. Note the British forms double the l; American English uses one.
A memory hook that survives contact with real writing: counsel and consult both have an s and both mean seeking advice, while council and civic both have a c and both concern a body of citizens.
One thing to note
A council can, of course, take counsel — "the council sought counsel on the planning appeal" is a perfectly good sentence, and a useful one to read twice as a check that you have the distinction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it "legal council" or "legal counsel"?
Legal counsel. You mean advice from a lawyer, or the lawyer themselves. "Legal council" would mean a committee about law, which is almost never what is intended.
Is a therapist a counsellor or a councillor?
A counsellor — they give counsel, meaning guidance. A councillor is an elected member of a local council. In American spelling the therapist is a counselor with one l.
Is "counsel" singular or plural in court?
It can be either without changing form. "Counsel for the claimant submits" refers to one barrister; "both counsel were present" refers to two. You do not add an s.