{ Prel"a*ture (?; 135), Prel"a*ture*ship }, n. [F. prÈlature, or LL.
praelatura.] The state or dignity of a prelate; prelacy. Milman.
Prel"a*ty (?), n. Prelacy. [Obs.] Milton.
Pre*lect" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prelected; p. pr. & vb. n.
Prelecting.] [L. praelectus, p. p. of praelegere to read before. See
Pre-, and Lection.] To read publicly, as a lecture or discourse.
Pre*lect", v. i. To discourse publicly; to lecture.
Spitting . . . was publicly prelected upon.
De. Quincey.
To prelect upon the military art.
Bp. Horsley.
Pre*lec"tion (?), n. [L. praelectio.] A lecture or discourse read in
public or to a select company. "The prelections of Faber." Sir M. Hale.
Pre*lec"tor (?), n. [L. praelector.] A reader of lectures or
discourses; a lecturer. Sheldon.
Pre`li*ba"tion (?), n. [L. praelibatio, fr. praelibare to taste
beforehand: cf. F. prelibation.] 1. A tasting beforehand, or by
anticipation; a foretaste; as, a prelibation of heavenly bliss.