council
/ˈkaʊnsəl/noun
1- an advisory, deliberative, or administrative body of people formally constituted and meeting regularly委员会; 理事会：
an official human rights council
官方人权委员会。
1.1
- a body of people elected to manage the affairs of a city, county, or other municipal district（市、县或地方行政区的）政务委员会。
1.2
- as modifier Brit. denoting housing provided by such a body at a subsidized rent〈英〉市建的（指住房由政务委员会提供且租金有补贴的）：
a council flat.
市建公寓套间。
1.3
- an ecclesiastical assembly（教会的）集会。
1.4
- an assembly or meeting for consultation or advice会议：
that evening, she held a family council.
那天晚上, 她开了一个家庭会议。
词源
Old English （in the sense 'ecclesiastical assembly'）： from Anglo-Norman French cuncile, from Latin concilium 'convocation, assembly', from con- 'together' + calare 'summon'. Compare with COUNSEL.