noun
prefect
PREE-fekt/ˈpriːfekt/
A person appointed to supervise a community or institution.
The prefect oversees local administration and reports to the national government.
Etymology
“Before” and “make or do” formed a verb meaning “set over” or “put in authority.” A prefect is someone placed over others to supervise them, whether an official or a student.
In context
the Roman governor the prefect over Judea who is Pontius Pilate
More examples
- Residents ask the prefect to coordinate repairs after the flood.
- A senior student serves as prefect and helps maintain school discipline.
- The prefects meet to discuss problems in their districts.
Forms
prefect · prefects
prefecture noun — A district governed by an appointed prefect.
Similar words
- administrator
- Manages an organization's operations without necessarily holding governmental authority.
- supervisor
- Oversees people's work or conduct, often within a smaller unit.