From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishprefectpre‧fect /ˈpriːfekt/ noun [countable] 1 SESan older student in some British schools, who has special duties and helps to control younger students2 PGOa public official in some countries etc who is responsible for a particular area
Examples from the Corpus
prefect• I also remember proudly coming home to tell Dad I'd been made head prefect of my grammar school.• She refused to marry the local prefect who had her imprisoned and tortured.• In recompense Anthemius created Sidonius prefect of the city of Rome.• The atmosphere was of an end-of-term party given by a headmaster in his study for the prefects.• We are not part of the Prefect of Anacreon or of any other prefect.• When the prefect learned that Hadrian had been baptized, he had him broken limb from limb.• The prefect had him bound to a hot griddle.• The prefects also kicked you, as a rule with the inside of the shoe, but occasionally you felt the toe.Origin prefect (1300-1400) Old French Latin praefectus, from praeficere “to put in front” 