prefect

American  

[pree-fekt] / ˈpri fɛkt /

Or praefect

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.

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prefect British  

/ 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 called: prefect 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

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Other Word Forms

• prefectorial adjective
• subprefect noun
• underprefect noun

Etymology

Origin of prefect

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

Example Sentences

The two men, who were broadcasting live videos from the French coast, were arrested near the northern town of Calais on Sunday evening, said Francois-Xavier Lauch, prefect of Pas-de-Calais.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

At the orphanage, Sánchez was especially fond of the prefect, Francisco Fimbres.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 6, 2025

But in Douala, prior to the reported clashes, an AFP journalist observed several dozen people gathered near the airport, defying the ban on demonstrations ordered by the department's prefect.

From Barron's • Oct. 27, 2025

The confirmed death toll on Mayotte so far is 35 but, in the immediate aftermath of the cyclone, local prefect François-Xavier Bieuville feared that it would "definitely be several hundred" and could reach thousands.

From BBC • Dec. 24, 2024

He had already told them pompously that he was only staying over Christmas because it was his duty as a prefect to support the teachers during this troubled time.

From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling