noun

prefect

PREE-fehkt

noun

A senior school student given authority over younger pupils.

"As a prefect, she was responsible for keeping order in the lunch hall."

A senior government or administrative official in certain countries, often heading a region or department.

"The French prefect oversees local administration on behalf of the national government."

How to Use Prefect

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSomeone given authority over others — a school leadership role in the UK, or a regional government official elsewhere.

UK vs US

The school-prefect sense is mostly a British/Commonwealth term; American schools rarely use this title.

Common pairings

head prefect school prefect regional prefect

prefects plural

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Can you complete this real example?

As a _____, she was responsible for keeping order in the lunch hall.

From Latin praefectus, \"one placed in charge,\" from praeficere, \"to put in charge of.\"

defect