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consigliere
Dec. 2nd, 2021 08:21 amconsigliere (kawn-see-LYE-re) - n., a counselor or advisor, especially to the leader of a criminal organization.
Especially the Sicilian, Calabrian and American Mafia. Not to be confused with the underboss, who acts as the boss's lieutenant and heir-apparent -- this is the guy who is outside the formal hierarchy and so can talk the boss back from bad decisions. Entered English via The Godfather, both the novel (1969) by Mario Puzo and movie adaptation (1972), from Italian, advisor/counselor, from consiglio, advice/counsel, from Latin cōnsilium, council.
---L.
Especially the Sicilian, Calabrian and American Mafia. Not to be confused with the underboss, who acts as the boss's lieutenant and heir-apparent -- this is the guy who is outside the formal hierarchy and so can talk the boss back from bad decisions. Entered English via The Godfather, both the novel (1969) by Mario Puzo and movie adaptation (1972), from Italian, advisor/counselor, from consiglio, advice/counsel, from Latin cōnsilium, council.
---L.
