Staroste (plural: staroști) is a versatile term with historical and modern meanings, primarily referring to a leader, chief, or head (of a guild, a region in Moldova historically) and, in contemporary contexts, most famously, the Maestru de Ceremonii (MC) at a wedding, who coordinates the festivities and leads the traditional customs, often acting as the "pețitor" or official proposer in the old days. In modern Poland, it also refers to the head of a county (powiat), elected by the council, managing local administration.