consul

Etymology

From Middle English consul, from Old English consul, from Latin cōnsul.

noun

1. (historical) Either of the two heads of government and state of the Roman Republic or the equivalent nominal post under the Roman and Byzantine Empires.
2. (historical) Any of the three heads of government and state of France between 1799 and 1804.
3. (obsolete) A count or earl.
4. (obsolete or historical) A councillor
   1. (historical) A member of early modern city councils in southern France and Catalonia.
   2. (historical) An officer of the trading and merchant companies of early modern England.
   3. (historical) An official in various early modern port and trading towns, elected by resident foreign merchants to settle disputes among themselves and to represent them to the local authorities.
5. (by extension) An official residing in major foreign towns to represent and protect the interests of the merchants and citizens of their country.
6. (obsolete) A high government official, generally either a coruler himself or a counsellor directly under the ruler.