councilor

IPA/kˈaʊnsɪlə/
KK[kˈaʊnsəlɚ]IPA/kˈaʊnsələr/

councilor — noun

1. a person elected to sit on a local council and help decide how an area should be

1.nounC1
Definition

a person elected to sit on a local council and help decide how an area should be run

Example

Ritu asked the councilor to fix the broken streetlights near her shop.

ask a councilor to solve a local problem

At the crowded town meeting, Elena thanked the councilor for protecting the playground.

the councilor in a town-meeting setting

Common collocations
  • ask a councilor for help
  • elect a councilor
  • serve as councilor
  • thank the councilor
Synonyms
  • council member

    a plain, transparent term for someone who sits on a council

  • representative

    broader; can refer to many kinds of elected roles, not only council seats

  • alderman

    used in some cities for a similar office, but less general and often more traditional

Usage Note

Usually refers to an elected member of a city, town, or other local council rather than a national politician. In British English, the usual spelling is 'councillor'.

Common Mistakes

The school councilor helped me choose my classes.
The school counselor helped me choose my classes.
a councilor is a member of a council, but a counselor gives advice.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Councilor and council member are close in meaning, but councilor is the title-like noun used for someone elected to a local council, especially in American English. Council member is plainer and easier to understand, and it often appears when a city avoids older titles. Alderman can describe a similar local official, but it is tied to particular cities and can sound more traditional or formal. Representative is much broader: a representative might serve in a state or national body, not necessarily on a local council. If you are talking about a person who helps decide local rules, budgets, or repairs in a town or city, councilor is the most exact choice. If the exact title is unclear, council member is the safer general term.

councilor ↗council memberalderman ↗representative ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • city councilor
  • opposition councilor
  • ward councilor

Phrases

  • run for councilor
  • serve as councilor
  • speak to your councilor

Prepositions

  • councilor for

Etymology

LatinAnglo-FrenchEnglish

Councilor is built from council and the suffix '-or', which names a person connected with a role or activity. Council came into English through Anglo-French from Latin concilium, meaning an assembly or meeting for advice. The spelling councilor became standard in American English, while British English usually prefers councillor with a double l. Both forms refer to a person who sits on a council.