Council and counsel are two words that are often confused because of their similar spellings and pronunciations. However, their meanings are quite different.
Council: Refers to a group of people who come together to discuss, deliberate, and make decisions on a specific topic or issue. For example, a city council, a board of directors, or a council of elders.
Counsel: Refers to advice or guidance provided by someone with expertise or authority in a particular area. It can also refer to the act of providing such advice or guidance. For example, legal counsel, financial counsel, or to counsel someone on a personal matter.
To remember the difference between these two words, you can use the following mnemonic:
"Council" has the letters "c-i-l" which are also found in the word "decision-making". So, think of a council as a group of people who come together to make decisions.
"Counsel" has the letters "s-e-l" which are also found in the word "advice". So, think of counsel as advice or guidance provided by an expert or authority.
Remembering this distinction can help you avoid confusion between these two words