Synonyms

prefabricate

American

[pree-fab-ri-keyt] / priˈfæb rɪˌkeɪt /

verb (used with object)

prefabricated, prefabricating

to fabricate or construct beforehand.
to manufacture in standardized parts or sections ready for quick assembly and erection, as buildings.

prefabricate British

/ priːˈfæbrɪˌkeɪt /

verb

(tr) to manufacture sections of (a building), esp in a factory, so that they can be easily transported to and rapidly assembled on a building site

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

prefabricated adjective
prefabrication noun
prefabricator noun
unprefabricated adjective

Etymology

Origin of prefabricate

First recorded in 1930–35; pre- + fabricate

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

By some definitions, the first prefabricated house was built, shipped and reassembled in the 1620s.

From Los Angeles Times

This system synchronizes cabin lighting, instruments and audio settings to one of five prefabricated “atmospheres,” including Lounge, Joy, Nature, Energetic, and Minimal.

From The Wall Street Journal

Quadriplegic and bedridden in a prefabricated home, 36-year-old Li Xia can only move one finger and one toe -- yet he runs a high-tech farm in southwestern China using sensors, cameras and a computer.

From Barron's

"I pictured living with my family in a prefabricated unit, with electricity and water instead of our bombed home," she said.

From Barron's

To reduce ambulance queues, prefabricated structures were converted into a permanent unit with 14 beds - all are full during the BBC's visit.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023