prefect

or prae·fect

[ pree-fekt ]

noun

1. a person appointed to any of various positions of command, authority, or superintendence, as a chief magistrate in ancient Rome or the chief administrative official of a department of France or Italy.
2. Roman Catholic Church.
   1. the dean of a Jesuit school or college.
   2. a cardinal in charge of a congregation in the Curia Romana.
3. Chiefly British. a praepostor.

prefect

/ ˌpriːfɛkˈtɔːrɪəl; ˈpriːfɛkt /

noun

1. (in France, Italy, etc) the chief administrative officer in a department
2. (in France, etc) the head of a police force
3. a schoolchild appointed to a position of limited power over his fellows
4. (in ancient Rome) any of several magistrates or military commanders
5. Also calledprefect apostolic RC Church an official having jurisdiction over a missionary district that has no ordinary
6. RC Church one of two senior masters in a Jesuit school or college (the prefect of studies and the prefect of discipline or first prefect )
7. RC Church a cardinal in charge of a congregation of the Curia

Derived Forms

• prefectorial, adjective

Other Words From

• sub·prefect noun
• under·prefect noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of prefect¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin praefectus “overseer, director” (noun use of past participle of praeficere “to make prior,” i.e., “put in charge”), equivalent to prae- “before, prior to” ( pre- ) + -fectus (combining form of factus, past participle of facere “to make, do” ( do ¹ ); fact

Word History and Origins

Origin of prefect¹

C14: from Latin praefectus one put in charge, from praeficere to place in authority over, from prae before + facere to do, make

Example Sentences

One of Sir Keir Starmer’s ministers joked that around the cabinet table the PM seems a bit like a very committed headmaster gathering his prefects, ensuring they are all following his plans to the letter.

From BBC

While the nature of the threat was not clear, the Paris prefect ordered BRI police to rush to the scene.

From BBC

He also said the brother of a prefect at the school, who had "provided boys to be beaten", contacted him this week "to apologise for what his brother had done".

From BBC

In recent days, another six migrants attempted to kill themselves at the same facility, said Marco Stufano, the head of the office of Rome’s prefect.

From Seattle Times

So perhaps it was not surprising that the prime minister, trailed by two ministers and a prefect, came to the blockade for a tour and a glass of red wine.

From New York Times