prefecture

noun

pre·​fec·​ture ˈprē-ˌfek-chər How to pronounce prefecture (audio)
1
: the office or term of office of a prefect
2
: the official residence of a prefect
3
: the district governed by a prefect
prefectural adjective

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Hokkaido is inhabited by an indigenous Ainu population, and was not fully incorporated into Japan as a prefecture until 1947. Chihiro Tomioka, Bon Appétit, 12 Feb. 2023 And last week, hundreds of tourists were stranded in an airport in the Xishuangbanna prefecture of Yunnan province due to a snap lockdown. Jessie Yeung, CNN, 12 Oct. 2022 Kono grew up in the Saitama prefecture of Japan, and his parents ran a seafood market and restaurant. Caroline Hatchett, Robb Report, 1 Aug. 2022 The Meteorological Agency said the quake was centered in Chiba prefecture, just east of Tokyo, at a depth of 48 miles. Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2021 One injury was reported in the neighboring prefecture of Toyama, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Mari Yamaguchi, BostonGlobe.com, 6 May 2023 Ocean currents have since dispersed the contaminated water enough thatradioactive Cesium is nearly undetectable in fish from Fukushima prefecture. Emiko Jozuka, CNN, 19 Apr. 2023 In the East China Sea, in the south of Japan, the Okinawa prefecture encompasses 160 islands with a surprisingly tropical climate. Kathryn Romeyn, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2023 After being shot about 11:30 a.m., he was confirmed dead at 5:03 p.m. at Nara Medical University Hospital in Kashihara, Nara prefecture. Arkansas Online, 10 July 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prefecture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prefecture was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near prefecture

Cite this Entry

“Prefecture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prefecture. Accessed 1 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

prefecture

noun
pre·​fec·​ture ˈprē-ˌfek-chər How to pronounce prefecture (audio)
1
: the office or term of office of a prefect
2
: the district governed by a prefect
prefectural adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on prefecture

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!