Words / B1

KOWNS-uh-l-uh/ˈkaʊnsələ/

A councillor is an elected member of a UK local council. Counselor is US; counsellor is a talking therapist (next-but-related mix-up). Council is the body (already in the dictionary). MP is national. Do not write councillor for a council employee who was not elected — that is an officer. Ward is the local area they represent.

Meaning

An elected member of a local council (UK spelling).

Examples

• “Residents emailed their councillor about the potholes.”
• “Residents emailed their councillor about the uncollected bins.”
• “The councillor sits on the planning committee, which is why the meeting was packed.”

Good to know

UK elected: councillor. Therapist: counsellor. US therapist spelling: counselor. Body: council. National: MP.

New