The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Consultation \Con`sul*ta"tion\, n. [L. consultatio: cf. F.
   consultation.]
   1. The act of consulting or conferring; deliberation of two
      or more persons on some matter, with a view to a decision.
      [1913 Webster]

            Thus they doubtful consultations dark
            Ended.                                --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A council or conference, as of physicians, held to
      consider a special case, or of lawyers restained in a
      cause.
      [1913 Webster]

   Writ of consultation (Law), a writ by which a cause,
      improperly removed by prohibition from one court to
      another, is returned to the court from which it came; --
      so called because the judges, on consultation, find the
      prohibition ill-founded.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

consultation
    n 1: a conference (usually with someone important); "he had a
         consultation with the judge"; "he requested an audience
         with the king" [syn: consultation, audience,
         interview]
    2: a conference between two or more people to consider a
       particular question; "frequent consultations with his
       lawyer"; "a consultation of several medical specialists"
    3: the act of referring or consulting; "reference to an
       encyclopedia produced the answer" [syn: reference,
       consultation]