consul

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. An official appointed by a government to reside in a foreign country and represent his or her government's commercial interests and assist its citizens there. See Usage Note at council.
2. n. Either of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, elected for a term of one year.
3. n. Any of the three chief magistrates of the French Republic from 1799 to 1804.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. One of the two chief magistrates of the ancient Roman republic, annually chosen in the Campus Martius. In the first ages of Rome they were both elected from patrician or noble families, but about 367 b. c. the people obtained the privilege of electing one of the consuls from among themselves, and sometimes both were plebeians. The office of consul was retained under the empire, but was confined chiefly to judicial functions, the presidency of the senate, and the charge of public games, and was ultimately stripped of all power, though remaining the highest distinction of a subject; it was often assumed by thy emperors, and finally disappeared in the sixth century a. d.
2. n. In French history, the title given to the three supreme magistrates of the French republic after the dissolution of the Directory in 1799. Napoleon Bonaparte had the title of first consul, and his colleagues were Cambacéres and Lebrun. The first consul was the chief executive; he promulgated laws, named members of council of state, ministers, and ambassadors, etc., the second and third consuls having only a deliberative voice. By popular vote Napoleon was chosen consul for life August 2d, 1802, and by a vote of the senate, May 18th, 1804, consular government was abolished, and he was proclaimed emperor.
3. n. In international law, an agent appointed and commissioned by a sovereign state to reside in a foreign city or town, to protect the interests of its citizens and commerce there, and to collect and forward information on industrial and economic matters. He does not usually represent his government as a diplomatic agent in any sense.
4. n. A senator of Venice.
5. n. Formerly, in southern France and Catalonia, a municipal magistrate.
6. n. Formerly, within the foreign colony or settlement of a town, the representative chief of the merchants and their intermediary with the local government.
7. n. A local representative of a cyclists' touring club.
8. To submit (an invoice) for certification to the consul of a country to which goods are consigned.

Wiktionary

1. n. An official residing in a foreign country in order to protect the interests of citizens from his or her nation.
2. n. historical Either of the two highest-ranking officials of the Roman Republic.
3. n. historical One of the three chief magistrates of France from 1799 to 1804.
4. n. obsolete A senator; a counsellor.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Rom. Antiq.) One of the two chief magistrates of the republic.
2. n. obsolete A senator; a counselor.
3. n. (Fr. Hist.) One of the three chief magistrates of France from 1799 to 1804, who were called, respectively, first, second, and third consul.
4. n. An official commissioned to reside in some foreign country, to care for the commercial interests of the citizens of the appointing government, and to protect its seamen.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a diplomat appointed by a government to protect its commercial interests and help its citizens in a foreign country