inspector; censor; overseer (Edo period)
Historical term for an official in the Edo period tasked with surveillance, inspection, and oversight, often within the shogunate or domains.
In the Edo period, the metsuke conducted surveillance of daimyo and hatamoto.
Compound of 目 (me, 'eye') and 付ける (tsukeru, 'attach'), literally 'one who keeps an eye on'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is firmly associated with the Edo-period inspector role.