Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An adviser, especially to a leader of an organized crime syndicate.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A counselor or advisor, especially to Mafia bosses.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Italian, from Latin cōnsiliārius, from cōnsilium, advice.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Italian consiglio, "advice", "counsel", from Latin consilium.

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Examples

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  • "Consigliere (pronounced 'konsiʎˈʎɛ�?ɾe') is the Italian term for an adviser or counsellor. It is derived from the Latin consiliarius, from consilium, 'advice'...

    Consigliere entered the popular English lexicon through Mario Puzo's Godfather novels and the subsequent films made from them. In these portrayals, the consigliere is an adviser or counselor to a mafia boss, with the additional responsibility of representing the Don in important meetings within the Don's crime family or with other crime families. The consigliere is a close, trusted friend and confidant."

    - Wikipedia

    March 18, 2008

  • "Tom, you know you're not a wartime consigliere.."

    May 10, 2008