First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
prefect
noun pre·fect \ˈprē-ˌfekt\
: a chief officer or government official who is responsible for a particular area in some countries (such as Japan and France)
: an older student who is given the job of helping to watch and control younger students in a school
Full Definition of PREFECT
1
: any of various high officials or magistrates of differing functions and ranks in ancient Rome
2
: a chief officer or chief magistrate
3
: a student monitor in a usually private school
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Origin of PREFECT
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin praefectus, from past participle of praeficere to place at the head of, from prae- + facere to make — more at do
Rhymes with PREFECT
abject, advect, affect, aspect, bisect, cathect, collect, confect, connect, convect, correct, cowl-necked, defect, deflect, deject, detect, direct, Dordrecht, effect, eject, elect, erect, ewe-necked, expect, goosenecked, infect, inflect, inject, insect, inspect, neglect, object, pandect, porrect, prelect, project, prospect, protect, refect, reflect, reject, resect, respect, ring-necked, roll-necked, select, stiff-necked, subject, suspect, traject, transect, trisect, Utrecht, V-necked
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