Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
council table

council table

1 4.4
A large table that council members sit around during meetings
  • noun
  • /ˈkaʊnsl ˈteɪbl/
translation icon : mesa del consejo
  • "When do I start?" the monk pressed a button on the council table.
  • seated at the council table

Examples

  • When she walked into the chambers of the High Council barely a quarter of an hour later, those she had summoned were waiting, seated about the council table at which the queen presided.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Gavilan Elessedil was already seated at the council table and rose hurriedly as the queen appeared.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Seated beside him was the Osraed Ealad-hach, while a woman she recognized but couldn't name sat in a high-backed chair at one end of the council table.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • I am grateful to Mayor Pro Tem Maureen McGinnis for patiently and professionally bringing her bright, legal mind to the council table and continuing her family's legacy of giving back to this community.

    Blog text (11)

  • The mayor asked everyone to gather around the council table for the important meeting today.

  • After hours of discussion, they finally reached an agreement at the council table on the new policy.

  • All members were present at the council table to discuss the upcoming city projects.

Synonyms

kitchen table
vscouncil table
74 1.0

A table in a kitchen used for eating or working

is placed in formal meeting rooms rather than informal home areas
dinner table
vscouncil table
45 1.0

A table where people eat dinner and other meals

is intended for formal group meetings instead of family meals
dining-room table
vscouncil table
23 1.0

A table in a dining room where people eat meals

is used for meetings by organized groups rather than meal service
dining table
vscouncil table
12 1.0

A table for people to sit around and eat meals together

is meant for formal meeting use rather than for eating
conference table
vscouncil table
11 2.5

A large table where people sit for meetings in an office or boardroom

is more tied to official governing gatherings than general office meetings
council board
vscouncil table
3.6

A table where council or committee members sit during a meeting

is the larger table used by governing groups in meetings

Surface Forms

council table singular
council tables plural

Morphology

council + table

The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'council' (a group that meets) with 'table' (a piece of furniture): it denotes the table used by a council. This simple noun‑modifier composition (ownership/purpose) is a common, cross‑linguistic pattern and would be predictable to a B1 learner who knows both words.

Etymology

The phrase council table comes from a simple picture: a council, a group of people who meet, sitting around a large table to talk and make decisions. So, it means 'a large table around which members of a council or conference sit during a meeting'.