Words / B2

kons-uh-l-TAYSHUN/ˌkɒnsəlˈteɪʃn/

A consultation is a meeting for advice, or a process of asking people before a decision: a public consultation, a GP consultation. Ask and meeting are everyday; consult and consultant are already in the dictionary. In speech, asking people first / an advice appointment is enough. The word is official. Do not call a one-way announcement a consultation — people must be able to respond — and do not confuse it with consolation (comfort after a loss).

Meaning

A meeting to get or give advice, or a process of asking people before a decision.

Examples

• “The council held a public consultation on the new road.”
• “The council ran a consultation on parking, then ignored the most common reply.”
• “A twenty-minute consultation with the specialist was not the same as a diagnosis on the day.”

Good to know

Asking before deciding, or an advice meeting. Everyday: asking people first. Verb: consult. Mix-up: consolation (comfort). Not a one-way announcement.

New