prefecture
Americannoun
noun
-
the office, position, or area of authority of a prefect
-
the official residence of a prefect in France, Italy, etc
Other Word Forms
- prefectural adjective
- subprefecture noun
Etymology
Origin of prefecture
From the Latin word praefectūra, dating back to 1570–80. See prefect, -ure
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Brooke Day was using a chairlift at Tsugaike Mountain Resort in Otari, Nagano prefecture, when part of her backpack got tangled in the lift, leaving her suspended in midair.
From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026
To find out, the researchers traveled to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park in Nagano prefecture.
From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026
Chloe Jeffries, from the Gold Coast, was riding on a snowmobile with her mother in Hakuba Valley, Nagano prefecture, on Saturday when it overturned, trapping her underneath.
From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026
Originally, TSMC’s factory in the southern Japanese prefecture was supposed to focus on logic chips for cars and telecoms equipment using 6- to 12-nanometer technology.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026
In reality, Fukushima is a prefecture in Japan—a government district similar to a state in America.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
