prefect

• præfect (archaic)
• praefect

From Middle English prefect and prefecte, from Old French prefect (Mod. French préfet), from Latin praefectus (“one placed in charge, overseer, director, prefect”), from praeficere (“to place in charge”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɹiːfɛkt/

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prefect (plural prefects)

1. (historical) An official of Ancient Rome who controlled or superintended a particular command, charge, department, etc.

   the prefect of the aqueducts; the prefect of a camp, of a fleet, of the city guard, or of provisions; the pretorian prefect, who was commander of the troops guarding the emperor's person

   • 1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 196:

     Or think of a decent young citizen in a toga - perhaps too much dice, you know - coming out here in the train of some prefect, or tax-gatherer, or trader even, to mend his fortunes.

   • 1951, Arthur Waley, The Life and Times of Po Chü-i‎, London: George Allen & Unwin, →OCLC, page 33:

     It seems that in the autumn of 803 he went on leave. His uncle Po Chi-chên, had recently been moved from his post at Hsü-chou and promoted to be Prefect of Hsü-chʻang in Central Honan.

2. The head of a department in France.
3. The head of a county in Albania or Romania.
4. The head of a prefecture in Japan.
5. (British) A school pupil in a position of power over other pupils.
6. A commander.

• (Roman office): provost (obs.)

• prefecture

• perfect

Borrowed from Latin praefectus.

prefect m (plural prefecți)

1. prefect (head of county in Romania)