early 15c., from Middle French consultation, from Latin consultationem (nominative consultatio), from past participle stem of consultare "consult, ask counsel of; reflect, consider maturely," frequentative of consulere "to deliberate, consider," originally probably "to call together," as in consulere senatum "to gather the senate" (to ask for advice), from com- "with" (see com-) + *selere "take, gather (the Senate) together," from PIE root *sal- "to take, seize."