adviser

adviser — noun

1. a person whose work is to guide other people in one area, such as money, study,

1.nounC1
Definition

a person whose work is to guide other people in one area, such as money, study, or business, by giving useful advice.

Example

Lena met the college adviser to plan her courses for next year.

college adviser + plan courses

Before signing the loan papers, Mr. Wu called his financial adviser.

financial adviser

Common collocations
  • financial adviser
  • legal adviser
  • policy adviser
  • college adviser
  • outside adviser
Synonyms
  • advisor

    the same meaning; an alternative spelling, especially common in titles

  • consultant

    often a paid specialist brought in for one business or technical problem

  • counsellor

    often helps with study choices or personal problems, especially in schools

  • mentor

    gives longer-term personal guidance based on experience

Grammar Patterns

adviser to + person/organization

[field] adviser

Usage Note

Often modified by the field of work: financial adviser, legal adviser, career adviser. Spelling varies too: adviser is the older form, while advisor is also standard and is especially common in job titles.

Common Mistakes

My father is my best advise.
My father is my best adviser.
'advise' is the verb; 'adviser' is the person who gives advice.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Adviser' is a broad word for a person whose job is to give guidance in a particular area. 'Advisor' means the same thing and is simply a different spelling; many organizations, especially in American English, prefer it in job titles. A 'consultant' is usually hired for specialist knowledge and often works on one problem or project. A 'counsellor' often helps with study choices, emotions, or personal problems, especially in schools. A 'mentor' gives longer-term support based on experience, not just formal advice as part of a job. So you might call the bank's tax adviser before signing papers, but a senior mentor might guide your career over several years.

adviser ↗advisorconsultant ↗counsellor ↗mentor ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • financial adviser
  • legal adviser
  • policy adviser
  • career adviser

Phrases

  • work as an adviser
  • speak to an adviser
  • ask an adviser for help

Prepositions

  • adviser to
  • adviser on

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Adviser was formed in English from the verb 'advise' and the ending '-er', so it first meant 'a person who advises'. 'Advise' entered Middle English through Old French forms connected with 'avis' and 'aviser', and those forms go back to Latin words linked to the idea of seeing. The history reflects the sense of offering a considered view to help someone decide.