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consulate

consulate

156 6.3
A building where a foreign country's official helps its citizens with passports and legal problems
  • noun
  • /ˈkɒnsjʊlɪt/
  • Formal
: consulado
  • So he reached out to the consulate by himself, and in three months, they issued the visa.
  • U.S. consulate
  • embassies and consulates
  • Consulate General

And though some of their fighters attacked the consulate as well.

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Examples

  • It's a map of Mexico and where the US consulates are located.

  • The consulate in London offers various services to American citizens living in the UK.

  • No, I need to talk to someone at the consulate who can help me.

  • These men also work for the consulate.

  • Get to the American consulate.

  • Then, as they continued toward the consulate, he noticed security cameras on the building.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • I had to go to Milan, find where the Canadian consulate was located.

  • You need to get him at the consulate in Istanbul, right?

  • I was introduced to her by an old diplomat at a reception at the consulate in Paris.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • The Finnish consulate has contacted the State Department.

Synonyms

embassy
vsconsulate
466 3.3

A building and people who represent their country in a foreign country

is smaller and mainly helps nationals abroad rather than leading diplomatic relations
diplomatic mission
vsconsulate
  • Specialized
14 3.9

A group of people sent by one country to represent it in another at an embassy or consulate

is a specific building focused on serving citizens rather than a sending group
legation
vsconsulate
  • Archaic
3 9.9

A permanent diplomatic office in another country led by a minister rather than an ambassador

is a local office focused on citizen services, not a mission headed by ministers
foreign mission
vsconsulate
  • Formal
1 5.3

A permanent office in another country that represents its government and helps with official relations

is mainly meant to help citizens and provide local services, not lead representation
diplomatic building
vsconsulate
1 4.3

A government building where diplomats live and work, like an embassy or consulate

is focused on helping citizens and providing official assistance to them
embassage
vsconsulate
  • Archaic
9.9

The office and staff who represent a country in a foreign land

is focused on assisting citizens and handling routine citizen services abroad

How Official

embassy
466 3.3
consulate
  • Formal
156 6.3

Surface Forms

consulate singular
consulates plural

Morphology

consulate = consul (transparent) = consul + ate

The meaning 'building or office of a consul' follows directly from 'consul' + the nominalizing suffix '-ate'.

Etymology

Consulate comes from consul, a Roman official, and is related to the English verb consult, from a root that means 'to advise'. So a consulate is the place where a consul helps and advises a country's citizens abroad, which is why it is an office for help and official matters.