council of state: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Legal, Political, Administrative
Quick answer
What does “council of state” mean?
A high-level governmental advisory body, often composed of senior officials and experts.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A high-level governmental advisory body, often composed of senior officials and experts.
The term can specifically refer to a government's primary executive and administrative authority in some countries, a supreme court in others, or a formal advisory body to a head of state.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, it's not a standard term. In the US, it historically referred to groups advising the governor in some colonies/states. The primary modern use is in reference to foreign institutions.
Connotations
Connotes historical governance, formal advisory power, or specific foreign political structures.
Frequency
Very low frequency in everyday EN-US/EN-GB; higher in academic/political texts discussing specific countries.
Grammar
How to Use “council of state” in a Sentence
[Country]'s Council of Statethe Council of State ruled that...a member of the Council of StateVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “council of state” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The legislation was council-of-stated before implementation. (Note: This is a highly contrived, non-standard usage)
American English
- The governor sought to council-of-state the proposal. (Note: This is a highly contrived, non-standard usage)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form exists)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form exists)
adjective
British English
- The council-of-state ruling was definitive. (Note: This hyphenated adjectival use is rare but possible in analysis)
American English
- He studied council-of-state procedures in France. (Note: This hyphenated adjectival use is rare but possible in analysis)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in contexts involving government relations in specific countries.
Academic
Used in political science, law, and history to describe specific governmental institutions, particularly in studies of France, Turkey, China, etc.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Central term in comparative constitutional law and descriptions of specific national administrative structures.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “council of state”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “council of state”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “council of state”
- Using lowercase ('council of state').
- Using it generically for any government committee.
- Confusing it with 'Council of Ministers' or 'Cabinet'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Its role varies. In France and Turkey, it's a high administrative court. In China, it's the executive cabinet. In historical contexts, it was an advisory body.
Yes, because it is the official title of a specific institution, similar to 'Supreme Court'.
No, the UK has a Privy Council which fulfills some similar historical advisory functions, but it is a distinct body.
It is not standard. For a generic advisory group, terms like 'state council' or 'executive council' are more appropriate.
A high-level governmental advisory body, often composed of senior officials and experts.
Council of state is usually formal, legal, political, administrative in register.
Council of state: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkaʊnsɪl əv steɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkaʊnsəl əv steɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None applicable for this formal term.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A COUNCIL that governs the STATE.
Conceptual Metaphor
GOVERNMENT IS A MACHINE (the council is a crucial component); LAW IS A CONTAINER (the council operates within its strict legal framework).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of the French Council of State?