consigliere

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 26, 2023 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>consigliere</strong> &#149; \kohn-sil-YEH-reh\&nbsp; &#149; <em>noun</em><br /> <p><em>Consigliere</em> refers to a trusted adviser or counselor. Originally, a consigliere specifically served the leader of a criminal organization such as the Mafia, but others likened to such an adviser are now sometimes called consiglieri too. </p> <p>// Largely unknown to the general public, she was nonetheless a powerful Washington figure who served as the Senate leader's trusted <em>consigliere</em> and political strategist.</p> <p><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consigliere">See the entry ></a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>“‘Mafia Mamma’ is an action comedy about a flaky American marketing employee and soon-to-be empty nester, Kristin (Toni Collette), who, through the demise of her grandfather, Don Giuseppe Balbano (Alessandro Bressanello), becomes the head of a major Italian crime family. Assisted by Don Giuseppe’s <em>consigliere</em>, Bianca (Monica Bellucci), she must take down the Romanos, a rival family, while avoiding her own assassination.” — Odie Henderson, <em>The Boston Globe</em>, 14 Apr. 2023</p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p>If you're a fan of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Godfather-film-by-Coppola"><em>The Godfather</em></a> series of movies, mention of the word <em>consigliere</em> may already have brought to mind the character Tom Hagen. Hagen, the Corleones' family lawyer, is famously dismissed by the Don's successor and son Michael Corleone because he is not a “wartime consigliere.” The word <em>consigliere</em> comes from Italian and has been a part of English since the 17th century; it was originally used of someone who served on a council in Italy. Currently, it most commonly refers to advisers to the <a h