Meaning

noun a body serving in an administrative capacity

noun (Christianity) an assembly of theologians and bishops and other representatives of different churches or dioceses that is convened to regulate matters of discipline or doctrine

noun a meeting of people for consultation

originInherited from Middle English counseil, from Old French conseil, from late Latin cōnsilium; with the spelling in -c- adopted after Latin concilium in Early Modern English, though some senses of counseil were influenced by Old French concile, a semi-learned borrowing from concilium. Doublet of concelho and counsel.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0