syndic

Syndic is a title for a person authorized to represent, manage, or oversee the interests of a person, organization, or community. The word comes from the Latin syndicus, via French syndic, which itself derives from a Greek word meaning agent or advocate. In English, syndic usage is largely historical or specialized to legal and administrative contexts.

Historically, syndics were magistrates or commissioners in various European jurisdictions, especially in Italian city-states and in some Swiss cantons. They acted as representatives of a community or a guild in public affairs, diplomacy, finance, or administration, and could serve as part of a council or as independent agents empowered to handle external relations or specific duties.

In modern contexts, syndic has several contemporary meanings, depending on jurisdiction and language. In French-speaking areas, it commonly denotes two roles: a syndic de copropriété, the elected manager of a condominium or co-owned building, responsible for finances and upkeep; and a syndic judiciaire or liquidateur, a court-appointed official who administers or liquidates an insolvent estate or company. In some Swiss cantons, syndic is the title for a municipal executive officer, akin to a mayor. In broader legal usage, syndic can also refer to a representative or trustee acting on behalf of a person or organization.

In English-language writing, syndic appears primarily in historical, legal, or administrative discussions, where it denotes a function of representation, governance, or fiduciary responsibility rather than a common contemporary job title.