A thesmothete was a legislator, originally any of the six inferior archons [chief magistrates] in ancient Athens. The Oxford English Dictionary defines thesmothete as: "Each of the six inferior archons in ancient Athens, who were judges and law-givers; hence, one who lays down the law" and a thesmophilist is "someone who loves the law".

Thesmos is "that which is laid down, the law".