noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈpɹiːfɛkt/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:P R IY1 F EH2 K T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
An official of Ancient Rome who controlled or superintended a particular command, charge, department, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
Examples
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
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The head of a department in France.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The head of a county in Albania or Romania.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
The head of a prefecture in Japan.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A school pupil in a position of power over other pupils.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A commander.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
a chief officer or chief magistrate
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the prefect of Paris police
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: administrator, executive
History
Etymology
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”).
Across languages
Translations
40 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
префект
(prefekt)
— an official of ancient Rome
Finnish:
prefekti
— an official of ancient Rome
French:
préfet
— an official of ancient Rome
German:
Präfekt
— an official of ancient Rome
Ancient Greek:
ἔπαρχος
(éparkhos)
— an official of ancient Rome
Italian:
prefetto
— an official of ancient Rome
Latin:
praefectus
— an official of ancient Rome
Māori:
piriwheke
— an official of ancient Rome
Portuguese:
prefeito
— an official of ancient Rome
Russian:
префе́кт
(prefékt)
— an official of ancient Rome
Spanish:
prefecto
— an official of ancient Rome
Albanian:
prefekt
— the head of a prefecture, whether a Japanese prefecture, French department, or Balkan county
Czech:
prefekt
— the head of a prefecture, whether a Japanese prefecture, French department, or Balkan county
Finnish:
prefekti
— the head of a prefecture, whether a Japanese prefecture, French department, or Balkan county
French:
préfet
— the head of a prefecture, whether a Japanese prefecture, French department, or Balkan county
German:
Präfekt
— the head of a prefecture, whether a Japanese prefecture, French department, or Balkan county
Indonesian:
prefek
— the head of a prefecture, whether a Japanese prefecture, French department, or Balkan county
Indonesian:
gubernur
— the head of a prefecture, whether a Japanese prefecture, French department, or Balkan county
Italian:
prefetto
— the head of a prefecture, whether a Japanese prefecture, French department, or Balkan county
Latin:
praefectus
— the head of a prefecture, whether a Japanese prefecture, French department, or Balkan county
Portuguese:
prefeito
— the head of a prefecture, whether a Japanese prefecture, French department, or Balkan county
Russian:
префе́кт
(prefékt)
— the head of a prefecture, whether a Japanese prefecture, French department, or Balkan county
Serbo-Croatian:
prèfekt
— the head of a prefecture, whether a Japanese prefecture, French department, or Balkan county
Spanish:
prefecto
— the head of a prefecture, whether a Japanese prefecture, French department, or Balkan county
Chinese Cantonese:
風紀 /风纪
(fung1 gei2)
— a school pupil in a position of power over other pupils
Chinese Mandarin:
級長 /级长
(jízhǎng)
— a school pupil in a position of power over other pupils
Finnish:
valvojaoppilas
— a school pupil in a position of power over other pupils
Irish:
maor
— a school pupil in a position of power over other pupils
Italian:
capoclasse
— a school pupil in a position of power over other pupils
Māori:
piriwheke
— a school pupil in a position of power over other pupils
Polish:
dyżurny
— a school pupil in a position of power over other pupils
Polish:
dyżurna
— a school pupil in a position of power over other pupils
Russian:
ста́роста
(stárosta)
— a school pupil in a position of power over other pupils
Swahili:
kiranja
— a school pupil in a position of power over other pupils
Welsh:
swyddog
— a school pupil in a position of power over other pupils
Italian:
preposto
— a commander
Italian:
capo
— a commander
Latin:
praepositus
— a commander
Plautdietsch:
Launtsrot
— a commander
Russian:
руководи́тель
(rukovodítelʹ)
— a commander
