Is advisor a word

Asked by: Brennon Lehner

Score: 4.7/5
(29 votes)

According to Grammarist.com, “adviser and advisor are both accepted spellings of the noun meaning one who advises or counsels. … For those more old school, the Oxford Dictionary says: “The spellings adviser and advisor are both correct. Adviser is more common, but advisor is also widely used, especially in North America.

Is the word advisor correct?

“’Adviser’ and ‘advisor’ are both correct,” advises Merriam-Webster’s dictionary. “Some people feel that ‘advisor’ is more formal, and it tends to be found more often when applied to official positions, such as an advisor to a president.

Which is correct adviser or advisor?

Adviser: Is There a Difference? Both «advisor» and «adviser» are accepted spellings for someone who offers advice, like a financial advisor.

IS IT adviser or advisor AP style?

According to the AP Stylebook (the official book of rules for AP Style), adviser is the correct spelling to use.

What does the word advisors mean?

: someone who gives advice a financial/investment adviser She was not signing on as a domestic or foreign-policy adviser …—

27 related questions found

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An adviser or advisor is normally a person with more and deeper knowledge in a specific area and usually also includes persons with cross-functional and multidisciplinary expertise. An adviser’s role is that of a mentor or guide and differs categorically from that of a task-specific consultant. An adviser is typically part of the leadership, whereas consultants fulfill functional roles.^[1]

The spellings adviser and advisor have both been in use since the 16th century.^[2] Adviser has always been the more usual spelling, though advisor has gained frequency in recent years and is a common alternative, especially in North America.^[3][4]

Etymology[edit]

The use of adviser is of English origin, with «er» as a noun ending, and advisor of Latin origin.^[5] The words are etymological twin cognates and are considered interchangeable.

Word usage[edit]

Usage of the two words is normally a matter of choice, but they should not be used together in the same document. The Associated Press prefers (AP Stylebook) the use of «adviser», but Virginia Tech (style guide) gives preference to «advisor», stating that it «is used more commonly in academe» and that «adviser is acceptable in releases going to organizations that follow AP style».^[6] Purdue University Office of Marketing and Media’s Editorial Style Guide gives preference to «advisor».^[7] The European Commission uses «adviser(s)»,^[8] the UK has Special advisers, as well as the Scottish Government,^[9] and the United Nations uses Special Advisers. The US government uses both: Council of Economic Advisers, Office of the Legal Adviser, Deputy National Security Advisor (deputy to the President’s NSA), Legal «Advisor» (Office for the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants), that was part of the team tasked to conduct Combatant Status Review Tribunals of captives detained in Guantanamo Bay, and laws Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’s Fulbright Program has «advisers».

Specific uses[edit]

Finances[edit]

• Commodity trading advisor, any person who advises others re futures or commodity trading
• Financial advisor, also known as a financial planner, a practicing professional who helps people to deal with various personal financial issues through proper planning
  • In the UK, this person is known as a financial adviser
  • Fee-Only financial advisor, a financial advisor compensated only by clients and accepting no commissions or compensation from other sources
• Financial Management Advisor, a professional designation of the Canadian Securities Institute
• Investment Advisor, an individual or firm that advises clients on investment matters
• Registered Investment Adviser, an individual or firm who has registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or with a state regulatory agency in connection with the management of the investments of others
• Tax advisor, an individual or firm expert in tax law

Publications[edit]

• Broadband & Internet Advisor (originally Internet Advisor), a magazine which provides articles, news, and reviews relating to Internet technology
• The CPA Technology Advisor, a technology magazine for accounting and tax professionals
• Resident Advisor, an online electronic-music magazine dedicated to the global dance-music scene

Specific advisory companies[edit]

• Amaranth Advisors LLC, an American multistrategy hedge fund
• Dimensional Fund Advisors, an investment firm that develops mutual funds grounded in academic research
• State Street Global Advisors, the investment management division of State Street Corporation

Specific advisory services[edit]

• Dipmeter Advisor, an early system developed to aid in the analysis of data gathered during oil exploration
• McAfee SiteAdvisor, an Internet service that warns users that a site may make them victims of malware or spam
• MIT Design Advisor, an online tool for exploring the energy performance of building designs

Media[edit]

Examples of the use of adviser and advisor in the media on a particular subject:

• NPR: «Deputy National Security Adviser Explains U.S. Options In …»^[10]
• The Washington Post: «deputy national security adviser for strategic communications»^[11]
• The Wall Street Journal: «Obama to Name Deputy National-Security Adviser«^[12]
• The White House: «Briefing by Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes»^[13]
• English Wikipedia: Ben Rhodes (politician), «the current deputy national security adviser for strategic communication for U.S. President Barack Obama».^[14]
• The Foundry: «CBS News President David Rhodes is the brother of Ben Rhodes, the White House deputy national security adviser…»^[15]
• Yahoo News: «President Barack Obama’s national security adviser…»^[16]
• Indiana University Bloomington: «Rhodes is assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor for strategic communications and speechwriting».^[17]

Books[edit]

Use of «advisor» appeared in print in the United States in 1889, with The Tennessee Justice and Legal Advisor by William C. Kain and Horace N. Hawkins.^[18] The Department of Justice of the United States, Issue 15, printed in 1927 by the Institute For Government Research, uses both spellings: «1. Political adviser and assistant to the President» and «Legal Advisor. Like all the other cabinet officers, the Attorney General is a political advisor of the President».^[19]

Other[edit]

• Academic advisor, an employee of a college or university who helps students to select courses or an academic major and engaging in short-term and long-term educational planning (in some countries, the professor who offers a student academic/methodologic assistance to prepare the work/thesis job necessary to obtain the degree)
• Doctoral advisor, an advanced member of a university faculty with the role of guiding a graduate student
• Combine Advisor, a fictional creature from the Half-Life series
• Customer service advisor, a generic job title in the service industry, principally used in the United Kingdom
• Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor, a qualification required of chemical distributors and storage companies throughout the United Kingdom relating to packing and labeling of hazardous materials
• Legal advisor, a lawyer who gives legal advice
• Military advisors, a form of military support
• Technical advisor, an expert in a particular field of knowledge, hired (for example) to ensure that some area of knowledge is portrayed accurately in a movie
• Technical design advisor, a person in charge of advising in technical aspects of information-technology design

Notable Advisers[edit]

See also[edit]

• Judge–advisor system
• Council

Notes[edit]

Much like «toward» and «towards,» the words «advisor» and «adviser» often pose some common conundrums: Do the two different, but correct, spellings of the same word convey subtly different meanings? And even if both are technically correct, is one more “appropriate” than the other in certain circumstances?

Both «advisor» and «adviser» are examples of a category of nouns called «agent nouns»—nouns that refer to someone or something that performs the action of a verb and typically end in either “or” or “er,” like “worker” or “detector.”

So, even though a person who writes is a writer, a person who dances is a dancer, and a person who wanders is a wanderer, a person who advises can be an adviser or an advisor.

If their meaning is the same, how do you decide whether to use «advisor» or «adviser»? While both spellings are acceptable, both are not equally preferred.

How to Use «Advisor»

Both «advisor» and «adviser» refer to one who advises or gives advice to others. «Advisor» with the «-or» ending, is of Latin origin. Often, you’ll see this spelling used in more formal contexts, government, job titles, or academic work.

«Advisor» is more heavily used, both in titles and otherwise, in scholarly and academic texts throughout the English-speaking world. This may be due to the fact that the «-or» suffix is commonly used with verbs that have a Latin origin.

There is a largely unproven theory that due to its origin, «advisor» denotes a more “formal” tone than «adviser,» thus making it better suited for use in academic writing.

The Virginia Tech University Style Guide, for example, recommends the use of «advisor,» as it is “used more commonly in academe,” adding that “’adviser’ is acceptable in releases going to organizations that follow AP [Associated Press] style.”

Although «adviser» is the heavily preferred spelling outside of North America, in the United States and Canada, «advisor» is often used as part of official job titles such as “financial advisor” or “academic advisor.”

«Advisor» also appears to be preferred by the U.S. government, as in national security advisor and veterans’ preference advisor. Again, however, this is a preference, not a rule, as «adviser» is often used in titles too.

How to Use «Adviser»

The word «adviser,» ending with «-er» is of English origin. Overall, there appears to be a preference for the use of «adviser» in English. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, «adviser» appears more often than «advisor.»

As a result, English-language usage guides, such as Garner’s Modern American Usage, list «adviser» as the recommended—but not mandatory—spelling, with «advisor» as a variant. However, the Associated Press Stylebook requires «adviser.»

Both forms of the word first appeared in English texts written between 1605 and 1615. However, it is believed that «adviser» had been commonly used for several years before «advisor» first appeared, perhaps contributing to its wider range of acceptance today.

Brief History of Advisor and Adviser

While literary evidence suggests that adviser was used first, both spellings were being used—apparently with little or no controversy—as early as the 1500s. The “-or” suffix comes from Latin, while “-er” has Germanic roots.

Both the advisor and adviser have been used to describe individuals with more and deeper knowledge and understanding of specific areas, often including people possessing cross-functional and multidisciplinary expertise.

Both spellings are commonly used in job titles today. For example, doctors, actors, and directors use the -or like advisors, while teachers, builders, and farmers all use the same -er ending as advisers. There are even discrepancies between similar job descriptions: translators and interpreters, or writers and authors, for example. However, dictators, always have been and always will be dictators. 

Examples

Following are a couple of examples of both spellings in common use:

• On dorm move-in day, freshmen will meet the resident adviser (RA), who will help the students acclimate to their new home.
• As you approach retirement, you should meet with a financial advisor periodically to keep your money properly diversified.

As stated, the words are interchangeable in meaning, so there are generally no negative ramifications in using either one—unless you’re following a particular style guide in your work or are in a regulatory environment.

Financial planning consultant Bob Veres told «Investment News,» «Whenever I see someone spell adviser with an ‘e,’ I know it’s a securities attorney or an industry lobbyist who specializes in the SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission],» because the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 spells the term that way.

A couple of additional examples:

• The president’s national security adviser informed him of the current situation.
• President Obama named Susan Rice to the post of national security advisor.

If you’re writing an article for a newspaper or magazine that follows AP style, use the more common «adviser,» according to the stylebook’s entry for the generic word usage. But if you’re referring to a person’s company-conferred job title, defer to the company’s spelling of the word.

How to Remember the Difference

Fortunately, you don’t have to remember the difference between the two words because they mean the same thing. Just be aware of the preference of whomever you’re writing for or how a person’s title is noted in his or her official job description.

Because neither «adviser» nor «advisor» is grammatically wrong, usage of the two words really comes down to a matter of choice, with a caveat. They should be used consistently. With few exceptions, they shouldn’t both be used in the same document.

Exceptions to Consistency

Those few exceptions to consistency in a single document include usage in proper names and titles and in quotations. When used in proper names and titles, «adviser» and «advisor» should always be spelled as they are in the title. In the president’s “Council of Economic Advisers,” for example, use of «advisor» would be incorrect. Similarly, when quoting text from another document, «adviser» and «advisor» should be spelled as they are in the source.

One Rule: «Adviser» as an Adjective

Although «adviser» is the generally preferred spelling when the word is used as a noun, the adjectival form of «adviser» is correctly spelled «advisory.» For example:

• As a noun: I work as an adviser for my company.
• As an adjective: I will be working for the firm in an advisory capacity.

This may contribute to the confusion surrounding «adviser» vs. «advisor.» However, while either «adviser» or «advisor» can be used in most cases, «advisory» is the only correct adjectival spelling. «Advisery» isn’t even a word.

Sources

• “Adviser.” Associated Press Stylebook, www.apstylebook.com/ap_stylebook/adviser.
• “Adviser | Definition of Adviser in English by Oxford Dictionaries.” Oxford Dictionaries | English, Oxford Dictionaries, en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/adviser.
• Benjamin, Jeff. “Adviser or Advisor? The Debate Rages On.” InvestmentNews — The Investing News Source for Financial Advisers, 19 Mar. 2017, www.investmentnews.com/article/20170319/FREE/170319931/adviser-or-advisor-the-debate-rages-on.
• Garner, Bryan A. Garner’s Modern American Usage. Oxford University Press, 2009.
• “University Style Guide.” VT Virginia Tech, vt.edu/brand/resources/university-style-guide.html.

Adviser and Advisor: I have been making mistakes in using these words ever since I was a young girl. There is a difference of just one letter. But, do they mean different things? In this article, we will not only discuss the difference between ‘Adviser’ and ‘Advisor’ but we will also see their correct usage.

So, What is the difference between the words Advisor & Adviser?

There is NO difference between the meanings of the words Advisor & Adviser. They have different origins. The only difference between the words advisor and adviser is of formality. An Advisor or Adviser typically means a person who is knowledgeable and can give advice.

Adviser and advisor both mean a person who gives advice or counsel. These words have no difference. So, what is the fuss all about? Well, Both the words mean a person who gives advice. So, why did the spelling change? While both the terms are used interchangeably, there is a slight difference in them.

Adviser: Meaning and Usage

The word ‘Adviser’ has its origin in the Germanic language. The spelling ‘adviser’ came way after the term ‘advisor’, but it still remains more popular. It is more of an English word and it is a matter of preference to use it. It is believed that the word adviser is five times more popular than the word advisor.

Advisor: Meaning and Usage 

Advisor has Latin origins and came to be used in the 1500s. Advisor also means a person who gives advice. The only difference between the words is the spelling. The word advisor, however, is a more formal word. It is usually used to mark a designation.

Adviser as an Adjective 

The main reason that adviser and advisor are confused is that their verb forms are different. While adviser is the word in its noun form, the advisor is used in the context of an ‘advisory role’. This is the most pertinent reason that brings up the confusion about the use of these words.

The Difference Between Adviser and Advisor 

These words are also known as agent nouns. Agent nouns are the words that are used to describe a person who does something. There is no difference between them and

Advisor, Adviser—Which One to Use?

Since it is a matter of preference, you can use adviser and advisor interchangeably. You can decide on the word by trying to know which one is popular in your country. Advisor sounds more classical whereas, adviser is more modern.

Professional Style Guides 

Australia use: Uranium is considered an important chemical element by the scientific adviser

American use:

“President Obama had a great set of advisors.”

“You should find a good financial adviser if you have bad spending habits.”

A legal advisor should be hired for every corporate.

The US Government prefers to use the word adviser for their official posts.

He might want to work as a management advisor.

How to remember the difference

Since there is no difference between the words you don’t have to remember the difference. All you have to do is know about which country you’re writing the write-up. It’s simple: it’s simple, a translator is a person who translates, a dancer is a person who dances, and an advisor/adviser is a person who advises others.