prefect

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pre·fect / ˈprēˌfekt/ • n. a chief officer, magistrate, or regional governor in certain countries: the prefect of police. ∎  a senior magistrate or governor in the ancient Roman world: Avitus was prefect of Gaul from AD 439.DERIVATIVES: pre·fec·tor·al / prēˈfektərəl/ adj.pre·fec·to·ri·al / ˌprēˌfekˈtôrēəl/ adj.

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