Suggestions or opinions given to help someone decide what to do. It is information meant to guide choices or solve problems.
From Old French *avis* meaning “opinion, judgment,” from the phrase *ce m’est a vis* “it seems to me.” Over time, it shifted in English to mean guidance rather than just opinion.
Originally, ‘advice’ was simply what ‘seems to me’—a personal view. Today, we often treat advice like a rulebook, forgetting it’s just one person’s best guess from where they’re standing.
Advice-giving roles have been gendered, with men more often recognized as formal advisors in politics, finance, and law, while women’s advice has been channeled into informal or domestic spheres. Advice columns historically targeted women with prescriptive norms about behavior and appearance.
Use "advice" without assuming that legitimate or expert advice comes primarily from men; recognize expertise across genders. Be cautious not to frame women as mainly recipients of advice about self-presentation or relationships.
["guidance","recommendation","counsel"]
Women have served as influential advisors—formally and informally—in political, scientific, and community contexts, though their roles have often been downplayed or anonymized.
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