# prefect

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɹiːfɛkt/ · frequency rank #25,891

## Definitions
1. An official of Ancient Rome who controlled or superintended a particular command, charge, department, etc.
2. The head of a department in France.
3. The head of a county in Albania or Romania.
4. The head of a prefecture in Japan.
5. A school pupil in a position of power over other pupils.
6. A commander.

## Etymology
From Middle English prefect and prefecte, from Old French prefect (Mod. French préfet), from Latin praefectus (“one placed in charge, overseer, director, prefect”), from praeficere (“to place in charge”).

## Easily confused with
- **prefer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prefect-vs-prefer)
- **preset** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prefect-vs-preset)
- **project** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prefect-vs-project)
- **present** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prefect-vs-present)
- **protect** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prefect-vs-protect)
- **prevent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prefect-vs-prevent)
- **pretext** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prefect-vs-pretext)
- **preheat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prefect-vs-preheat)
- **perfect** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perfect-vs-prefect)
- **predict** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/predict-vs-prefect)
- **preface** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/preface-vs-prefect)
- **precept** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/precept-vs-prefect)

## Common misspellings (10)
`pprefect`, `preefct`, `prefcet`, `prefecct`, `prefectt`, `prefetc`, `preffect`, `prfeect`, `prrefect`, `rpefect`

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