prefect

Noun

prefect (plural prefects)

1. (historical) An official of Ancient Rome who controlled or superintended a particular command, charge, department, etc.
   • 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
   • Or think of a decent young citizen in a toga - perhaps too much dice, you know - coming out here in the train of some prefect, or tax-gatherer, or trader even, to mend his fortunes.1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 196
2. The head of a department in France.
3. The head of a county in Albania or Romania.
4. The head of a prefecture in Japan.
5. (UK) A school pupil in a position of power over other pupils.
6. A commander.
7. A head of a dicastery of the Roman Curia of the Roman Catholic Church.
   • His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has appointed the Reverend Sister Alessandra Smerilli, F.M.A., who was serving until now as Secretary of the same Dicastery, as Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.2026, “Resignations and Appointments, 30.06.2026”, in Holy See Press Office

   Synonyms:

   provost