consigliere

Definition

A counselor or advisor, especially to Mafia bosses.

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian consigliere, from Italian consiglio (“advice", counsel”), from Latin cōnsilium (“council”). Entered the popular English lexicon through Mario Puzo's “Godfather” novels and the subsequent films made from them.

Example Sentences

• "Tom, I advised Michael. I never thought you were a bad consigliere. I thought Santino was a bad Don, rest in peace. Michael has all my confidence as do you. But there are reasons why you must have nothing to do with what's going to happen."
• "He [Bill Clinton] is the master strategist behind the scenes; the consigliere to the head of “the family,” as some Clinton aides refer to her operation; and a fund-raising machine who is steadily pulling in $100,000 or more at receptions."
• "Jared Kushner tried to prevent [Kellyanne] Conway from being invited into the White House at all, because he viewed her “as a possible threat to his role as Trump’s chief consigliere.”"

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