Consular

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to the official representative of a country's government who assists citizens and handles commercial matters in a foreign city
2. Pertaining to an official diplomat representing a nation and providing support to its citizens while managing trade affairs abroad
3. Connected to a governmental representative who aids citizens and oversees business transactions within a foreign jurisdiction

Etymology: The adjective "consular" is simply the Latin "consularis," meaning "of a consul," built from "consul" plus the adjective-forming suffix "-ar." The original Roman consuls were the two chief magistrates of the Republic, elected annually and sharing the highest civil and military power, so anything "consular" was once tied to that supreme office in Rome. The word reached English in Middle English, and its modern sense of a government official posted abroad grew out of the older meaning. Because a consul served as a state's representative in a foreign place, "consular" came to describe duties, offices, and documents connected with that role, such as consular services that help citizens abroad and handle trade paperwork.