prefecture

noun

pre·​fec·​ture ˈprē-ˌfek-chər 

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

ˈprē-ˌfek-chə-rəl 

pri-ˈfek-

adjective

Examples of prefecture in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Just eighteen months ago, the prefecture of Calvados, where the tapestry resides, uploaded a video that reportedly emphasized this point. — John Phipps, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026

The Stradale managed to recover three of the five crew members before the Maranello sank, the French naval prefecture for the Atlantic said. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026

About 1,800 people helped move Hirosaki Castle, located in Aomori prefecture, the northernmost prefecture on the island of Honshu, more than 6 feet as part of ongoing renovations to the historic site, according to The Guardian and CNN. — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026

Niigata prefecture has long been known as Japan's snow country. — Adam H. Graham, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing prefecture

• prefecture apostolic

Rhymes for prefecture

• conjecture
• architecture
• lecture

Kids Definition

prefecture

noun

pre·​fec·​ture ˈprē-ˌfek-chər 

1

: the office or term of office of a prefect

2

: the district governed by a prefect

prefectural

prē-ˈfek-chə-rəl 

adjective