consultancy: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2formal, business/professional
Quick answer
What does “consultancy” mean?
a company or service that provides expert advice to other organizations for a fee.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
a company or service that provides expert advice to other organizations for a fee
The activity of providing expert advice professionally; also refers to a period during which such advice is given or to the firm itself.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling identical; both refer to advisory services/firms. Slight connotative difference: In the UK, 'consultancy' may be slightly more associated with public sector or management advisory firms. In the US, the term is used very broadly across all sectors.
Connotations
Generally neutral to positive, implying professionalism and expertise. In some contexts (esp. corporate), can have a negative connotation of high cost and jargon-heavy advice.
Frequency
Common in both varieties, with high frequency in business, management, IT, and engineering contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “consultancy” in a Sentence
consultancy (to/for + organization)consultancy (on + topic)consultancy (in + field)a consultancy + VERBVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “consultancy” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The firm consultancy on the matter (rare, not standard; correct is 'The firm consults on the matter').
American English
- They are looking to consultancy for the project (incorrect usage).
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial form. 'Consultatively' is theoretical, not used.
American English
- No standard adverbial form.
adjective
British English
- She took a consultancy role for six months.
American English
- He has deep consultancy experience in the tech sector.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to a company selling expert advice (e.g., 'We hired a marketing consultancy to review our strategy').
Academic
Used to describe advisory roles in research or policy (e.g., 'She provides consultancy to the university on ethical standards').
Everyday
Less common; might appear in job contexts (e.g., 'He works for a consultancy').
Technical
Common in IT, engineering, healthcare (e.g., 'The hospital uses a clinical risk consultancy').
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “consultancy”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “consultancy”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “consultancy”
- Using 'consultancy' to mean a single piece of advice (use 'consultation').
- Saying 'a consultancy' when referring to the activity in general (use 'consulting').
- Confusing 'consultant' (person) with 'consultancy' (firm/service).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Consultancy' is the business/service of giving expert advice. 'Consultation' is a single meeting or process of seeking advice.
It can be both. As a business entity, it's countable (e.g., 'three consultancies'). As the service/activity, it's often uncountable (e.g., 'We offer consultancy').
Yes, attributively (e.g., 'consultancy work', 'a consultancy project'), but it is not a standard adjective like 'consultative'.
The related verb is 'to consult'. A person working in a consultancy is a 'consultant'.
a company or service that provides expert advice to other organizations for a fee.
Consultancy is usually formal, business/professional in register.
Consultancy: in British English it is pronounced /kənˈsʌl.tən.si/, and in American English it is pronounced /kənˈsʌl.tən.si/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “no direct idioms”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CONSULTant's agenCY – a company where consultants work.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE AS A COMMODITY (advice is sold), GUIDANCE AS A SERVICE.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'consultancy' correctly?