prefabricated

IPA/ˌpriːˈfæbrɪkeɪtɪd/
KK[prifˈæbrɪkˌetɪd]IPA/ˌpriːˈfæbrɪkeɪtɪd/

prefabricated — adjective

  • prefabricatedpositive
  • more prefabricatedcomparative
  • most prefabricatedsuperlative

1. describes a building or other large structure whose main sections are made at a

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a building or other large structure whose main sections are made at a plant and later joined together on site.

Example

The Noa family chose a prefabricated house that cost less and took only three months.

prefabricated house — common collocation for housing

After the earthquake, the government sent prefabricated shelters that workers put up in two days.

prefabricated shelter — used in disaster-relief contexts

Common collocations
  • prefabricated building
  • prefabricated house
  • prefabricated home
  • prefabricated shelter
  • prefabricated classroom
  • prefabricated structure
  • prefabricated bridge
  • prefabricated components
  • prefabricated sections
Synonyms
  • pre-built

    broader; can describe any structure built elsewhere then moved to a site

  • modular

    emphasises standardised sections that can be arranged or expanded

  • ready-made

    more general; common for everyday objects and items

Antonyms
  • custom-built

    built to a specific design for one location, not from factory parts

  • traditional

    built on site using conventional methods, not factory-made

Grammar Patterns

prefabricated + noun

be + prefabricated

Usage Note

Most common with buildings, houses, shelters, schools, and other large structures — not used for food, clothes, or small everyday items. Frequently appears attributively before a noun.

Common Mistakes

We ate a prefabricated dinner from the supermarket.
We ate a pre-made dinner from the supermarket.
'prefabricated' is used for buildings and large structures, not for food.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three alternatives describe something created in advance, but they differ in scope and formality. 'Prefabricated' is the most precise term in construction — it refers specifically to a structure whose parts are factory-made and assembled on site. 'Pre-built' is broader; it can describe any structure built elsewhere and moved (e.g. a pre-built garden shed or bridge). 'Modular' focuses on the method — identical sections that can be combined, expanded, or rearranged. 'Ready-made' is the most general and informal, used for everything from salads to curtains. For building vocabulary, 'prefabricated' is the standard professional term.

pre-builtmodular ↗ready-made ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Formed in English from the prefix 'pre-' (before, from Latin prae) + 'fabricated' (constructed or built, from Latin fabricatus, past participle of fabricari 'to build, make'). The word entered general use in the early 20th century when factory-built houses and buildings became common.