proconsul Hear it!

proconsul Definition

pro·con·sul (prō kän′səl)

noun

  1. an official of ancient Rome who commanded an army in one or more of the provinces and, often, acted as a provincial governor
  2. a governing official in a present-day colony, occupied territory, etc.

Etymology: ME < L < pro consule, (acting) for the consul: see pro- & consul

proconsul Related Forms
pro·con′·sular (-sə lər) adjective pro·con′·sul·ate (-sə lit) noun or pro·con′·sul·ship′
Proconsul Definition

Pro·con·sul (prō kän′səl)

noun

a genus of African ape of the Miocene, a possible ancestor of the chimpanzee and gorilla

Etymology: pro- + Consul, name of a famous chimpanzee at the London Zoo (c. 1930)

proconsul Usage Examples

Adjective modifier

  • British: Throughout these events, the British proconsul in the north, John Reid, has stood on the sidelines giving an impression of impotency.
  • American: Question: Is France ready to accept the installation of a sort of American proconsul for a limited period in Iraq?

Modifies a noun

  • Caesar: To support Clodius, the proconsul Caesar remained in the immediate vicinity of the capital till the blow was struck against the two victims.