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consulo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word consulo

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Confidence
Uncertain
Formation
Inherited
First attested
Plautus

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈkõː.sʊ.ɫoː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkɔn.su.lo][1]

Forms

cōnsulō (present infinitive cōnsulere, perfect active cōnsuluī, supine cōnsultum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

The origin is doubtful.[2][3] De Vaan derives it from Proto-Italic *kom-se/ol-e/o- (“to consult”), from com- and Proto-Indo-European *s(e)lh₁-e/o- (“to take”), and links it with cōnsul and cōnsilium.[4][1] Cognate with Ancient Greek εἷλον (heîlon, “I took”) and Old Irish ad·roilli (“earns”), and with English sell.[4][1] Old inscriptions, such as the decree on the Bacchanalia, have the older spelling ⟨consol-⟩.[4][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus,[4] who has “if you ask my advice”.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

With an accusative it meant to ask someone for advice, to consult an oracle or an authority, and to deliberate about a matter or decide on a course of action.[2] The phrase bonī cōnsulere meant to take something in good part.[2] With a dative it meant to look after someone's interests, as in reī pūblicae cōnsulere, and also to take measures against someone (in aliquem cōnsulere).[2][6]

Its derivatives include cōnsultum “decree”, cōnsultus “skilled”, as in iūris cōnsultus “lawyer”, and the frequentative cōnsultāre, the source of English consult.[7] The related cōnsul gave English consul, and cōnsilium gave English counsel through Old French.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has “if you ask my advice”.[2][5]
  • 186 BC – the decree on the Bacchanalia spells it consol-.[4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero tells someone to consult the truth.[2][5]
  • 1520s – English consult is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To consult, ask the advice of.[2]
  2. To consider, refer to.[2]
  3. To deliberate about; to decide on.[2]
  4. bonī cōnsulere, to take in good part.[2]
  5. (with dative) To look after, take thought for.[2]
  6. in aliquem cōnsulere, to take measures against someone.[6]

Word family

  • cōnsilium
  • cōnsulātus
  • cōnsultor
  • consultrix
  • cōnsultum
  • cōnsultus
  • incōnsultus
  • cōnsultō
  • cōnsul
  • English consult
  • English counsel

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Consulo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/consulo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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