Präfekt

[pʁɛˈfɛkt]

/[pʁɛˈfɛkt]/ noun

The verdict

“Präfekt” is a moderately-common German word, ranked #45,526 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#45,526
frequency rank, German
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - hoher Beamter im Römischen Reich

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Präfekt vs Projekt
71% similar
Präfekt vs präsent
57% similar
Präfekt vs Präfektur
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Präfekt
PropertyValue
HeadwordPräfekt
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[pʁɛˈfɛkt]
Letters7
Frequency rank#45,526
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Präfekt” sits in German frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Präfekt lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for Präfekt is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [pʁɛˈfɛkt]. Corpus data places it at rank #45,526 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for Präfekt, with forms such as "ppräfekt", "prfäekt", and "prräfekt". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "Projekt", "präsent", "Präfektur", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct German form is Präfekt, spelled P-R-Ä-F-E-K-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    hoher Beamter im Römischen Reich
  2. 2
    oberster Verwaltungsbeamter in Frankreich (Departement), Italien (Provinz), Japan und verschiedener anderer Staaten
  3. 3
    katholischer Geistlicher mit besonderen Aufgaben in einer leitenden Position
  4. 4
    „ältester Schüler in einem Internat, der über jüngere die Aufsicht führt“
  5. 5
    Mitglied eines Schülerchors, das den Dirigenten vertritt

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ppräfekt,prfäekt,prräfekt,präefkt,präfekkt,präfektt,präfetk,präffekt,präfket,pärfekt,rpäfekt

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Präfekt - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ppräfekt1prfäekt2prräfekt1präefkt2präfekkt1präfektt1präfetk2präffekt1
Edit distance from "Präfekt"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 German corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Präfekt"?
"Präfekt" is spelled P-R-Ä-F-E-K-T. The IPA pronunciation is [pʁɛˈfɛkt].
What does "Präfekt" mean?
As a noun, "Präfekt" means: hoher Beamter im Römischen Reich
What words are commonly confused with "Präfekt"?
"Präfekt" is commonly confused with "Projekt", "präsent", "Präfektur". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Präfekt"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Präfekt" is [pʁɛˈfɛkt]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Präfekt" come from?
"Präfekt" is a German word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Präfekt”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct German spelling is P-R-Ä-F-E-K-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [pʁɛˈfɛkt] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Projekt” - see the side-by-side comparison. Präfekt vs Projekt
  • Browse more German words and confusable pairs in the same reference. German words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list