consulate

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   The office of a consul, where officials of one country help their citizens and handle visas in a city of another country.

   Grammar: Countable: the consulate in Chicago; at the consulate.

   Patterns

   • the consulate in somewhere
   • at the consulate

   She went to the consulate to renew her passport.

   The French consulate is near the harbor.

   Travelers who lose their papers can call the consulate.

2. 2nounsingularformal

   The position, term or authority of a consul, or the system of rule by consuls in ancient Rome and revolutionary France.

   Grammar: Often capitalized in history: the Consulate.

   Patterns

   • during the Consulate

   Napoleon rose to power during the Consulate.

   His consulate lasted one year.

   Historians study the Roman consulate closely.

Word forms

Common combinations

visit the consulate

We had to visit the consulate to get a visa.

consulate general

The consulate general serves a large region.

contact the consulate

Contact the consulate if your passport is stolen.

consulate staff

Consulate staff helped him arrange a flight home.

open a consulate

Both nations agreed to open a consulate in each other's cities.

Synonyms and how they differ

embassy

An embassy is a country's main diplomatic mission in a capital, while a consulate is a smaller office in other cities that deals with citizens' needs.

legation

A legation is an old-fashioned, smaller diplomatic office lower than an embassy.

mission

Mission is a general word for a diplomatic office, but consulate names one that helps citizens and travelers.

Word family

consul noun

an official who represents their country in a foreign city

consular adjective

relating to consuls or consulates

vice-consul noun

a deputy to a consul

Commonly confused: consulate or council? consulate or counsel?

Practice

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