privy council
Also found in: Thesaurus, Legal, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to privy council: Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
Priv·y Council
(prĭv′ē)n.
1. A council of the British sovereign that until the 1600s was the supreme legislative body, that now consists of cabinet ministers ex officio and others appointed for life, and that has no important function except through its Judicial Committee, which in certain cases acts as a supreme appellate court in the Commonwealth.
2. privy council An advisory council to an executive.
privy councilor n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
privy council
n
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the council of state of a monarch or noble, esp formerly
2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (in Canada) a ceremonial body of advisers of the governor general, the chief of them being the Federal cabinet ministers
3. archaic a private or secret council
Privy Council
n
(Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the private council of the British sovereign, consisting of all current and former ministers of the Crown and other distinguished subjects, all of whom are appointed for life. See also Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
Privy Counsellor n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
priv′y coun′cil
n.
1. a board or select body of personal advisers, as of a sovereign.
2. (caps.)
a. (in Great Britain) a body of persons who advise the sovereign in matters of state, the majority of members being selected by the prime minister.
b. (in Canada) a body of persons who advise the Governor General.
[1250–1300]
priv′y coun′cilor, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | ![]() council - a body serving in an administrative capacity; "student council" Britain, Great Britain, U.K., UK, United Kingdom, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; `Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.