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prefecture

[pree-fek-cher]
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noun
  1. the office, jurisdiction, territory, or official residence of a prefect.
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Origin of prefecture

From the Latin word praefectūra, dating back to 1570–80. See prefect, -ure
Related formspre·fec·tur·al [pri-fek-cher-uh l] /prɪˈfɛk tʃər əl/, adjectivesub·pre·fec·ture, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for prefectural

Historical Examples

  • With him I visited the prefectural workshops and many well-managed prefecturas.

    The Arena

    Various

  • I had called on him a few days before in his prefectural capital.

    The Foundations of Japan

    J.W. Robertson Scott

  • I do not reckon the millions of prefectural, county and village debt.

    The Foundations of Japan

    J.W. Robertson Scott

  • There is no superior limit of number in the case of a prefectural assembly, but the inferior limit is 30.

  • They plundered a sum of 200,000 yen from the Ono Company, and made a successful raid upon the prefectural offices of Kumamoto.

    Japan

    Various

British Dictionary definitions for prefectural

prefecture

noun
  1. the office, position, or area of authority of a prefect
  2. the official residence of a prefect in France, Italy, etc
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Derived Formsprefectural, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for prefectural

adj.

1807, from prefecture + -al (1).

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prefecture

n.

"administrative district of a prefect," mid-15c., from Middle French préfecture and directly from Latin praefectura, or assembled locally from prefect + -ure.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper