# preface vs prefect

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### preface
*noun · IPA /ˈpɹɛfəs/ · frequency rank #17,448*
A beginning or introductory portion that comes before the main text of a document or book, typically serving to contextualize or explain the writing of the book and sometimes to acknowledge others' contributions; especially, such a discussion written by the work's own author.

### prefect
*noun · IPA /ˈpɹiːfɛkt/ · frequency rank #25,891*
An official of Ancient Rome who controlled or superintended a particular command, charge, department, etc.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/preface-vs-prefect