prefect

 
Pronunciation: /ˈpriːfɛkt/

noun

  • 1chiefly British (in some schools) a senior pupil who is authorized to enforce discipline.
  • 2a chief officer, magistrate, or regional governor in certain countries: each department is governed by a prefect appointed by the President
  • a senior magistrate or governor in the ancient Roman world: Avitus was prefect of Gaul from AD 439

Derivatives

prefectoral

Pronunciation: /-ˈfɛkt(ə)r(ə)l/
adjective

prefectorial

Pronunciation: /-ˈtɔːrɪəl/
adjective

Origin:

late Middle English (in prefect (sense 2)): from Old French, from Latin praefectus, past participle of praeficere 'set in authority over', from prae 'before' + facere 'make'. prefect (sense 1) dates from the early 19th century