lat. perfectus

Llama 3.1 405B says

The word "prefect" has its roots in Latin. In Latin, the word "praefectus" is derived from "prae" (meaning "before" or "above") and "fectus" (meaning "made" or "appointed"). The Latin word "praefectus" originally meant "one who is placed before" or "one who is appointed to be in charge".

In ancient Rome, a praefectus was a high-ranking official who was appointed to govern a province or a department of the government. The praefectus was responsible for administering justice, collecting taxes, and maintaining order in their designated territory.

The Latin word "praefectus" was later adopted into Middle English as "prefect", and its meaning expanded to include a variety of roles, such as a high-ranking official, a governor, or a person in charge of a particular department or institution.

Ford Prefect from Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams