[con.sul] n [ME, fr. L; perh. akin to L consulere to consult] (14c) 1 a: either of two annually elected chief magistrates of the Roman republic b: one of three chief magistrates of the French republic from 1799 to 1804
2: an official appointed by a government to reside in a foreign country to represent the commercial interests of citizens of the appointing country -- con.sul.ar adj -- con.sul.ship n