■ noun
1》 chiefly Brit. a senior pupil authorized to enforce discipline in a school.
2》 a chief officer, magistrate, or regional governor in certain countries.
↘a senior magistrate or governor in the ancient Roman world.
Derivatives
~oral adjective
~orial adjective
Origin
ME: from OFr., from L. praefectus , praeficere 'set in authority over', from prae 'before' + facere 'make'.