praefectus Latin · revision 9926
17 Oct 2026, 00:52 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *dʰeh₁-}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [prae̯ˈfɛk.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [preˈfɛk.tus]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''praefectus''' ''m'' (genitive praefectī, feminine praefectissa); second declension^(Wiktionary)
+ Inscriptions have ''praifectos'', and it is abbreviated ''praef.''.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is the noun use of the participle of [[praeficiō]] “to put in charge”, from [[m|la|prae-]] and [[m|la|faciō|t=to make]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Köbler's earliest source is Plautus.^(Köbler 2010) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant a person appointed by a higher authority to take charge of something, an overseer, director, governor, as in Varro's ''praefectus vīllae'' and in Cicero; and in Caesar an officer commanding a military unit, especially the allied and auxiliary troops.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)
+
+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it means prefect, governor, head.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it for an Anglo-Saxon reeve or ealdorman, for the mayor of the palace (''praefectus palātiī''), and for public officers generally.^(Niermeyer 1976) German ''Präfekt'' is from it.^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 116–27 BC – Varro has ''praefectus vīllae''.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of commanders of auxiliary units.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Noun===
+ # An overseer, director, [[m|en|governor]].^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)
+ # A military commander, [[m|en|prefect]].^(OLD 2012)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|reeve]]; the mayor of the palace.^(Niermeyer 1976)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[praefectianus]]
+ * [[subpraefectus]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[praeficiō]]
+ * [[praefectūra]]
+ * [[faciō]]
+ * [[en|prefect]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}