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
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of prefecture
From the Latin word praefectūra, dating back to 1570–80. See prefect, -ure
Vocabulary lists containing prefecture
East Asia - Middle School
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East Asia - Introductory
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East Asia - High School
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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.
The ship was falsely flying a Cameroonian flag and was heading toward Limbe, a seaside city in the west of the African country, said a spokesperson for France's Atlantic maritime prefecture.
From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026
The ship, which had 23 crew members, was "being escorted by the French navy to an anchorage point for further checks", the prefecture said.
From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026
Three others suffered chemical burns "due to a mixture of fuel and seawater", the prefecture said.
From Barron's • May 3, 2026
The two women, aged about 20 and believed to be of Sundanese origin, were found dead inside the boat, according to Christophe Marx, secretary-general of the Pas-de-Calais prefecture.
From BBC • May 3, 2026
At the prefecture, a queue for gasoline coupons snakes out the door and around the block.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
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.
