/pree"fekt/ , n.
1. a person appointed to any of various positions of command, authority, or superintendence, as a chief magistrate in ancient Rome or the chief administrative official of a department of France or Italy.
2. Rom. Cath. Ch.
a. the dean of a Jesuit school or college.
b. a cardinal in charge of a congregation in the Curia Romana.
3. Chiefly Brit. a praeposter.
Also, praefect .
[ 1300-50; ME praefectus overseer, director (n. use of ptp. of praeficere to make prior, i.e., put in charge), equiv. to prae- PRE- + -fectus (comb. form of factus, ptp. of facere to make, DO 1 ); see FACT ]