noun / adjective
prefab
PREE-fab/ˈpriːfæb/
A building or component made in advance for later assembly or use.
The crane lowers a prefab wall panel into place on the house.
Etymology
“Before” and “fabricate” point to manufacturing sections before their assembly on site. Shortened from prefabricated, prefab became a noun for housing made this way.
More examples
- They live in a small prefab on the edge of town.
- A crane lifts the prefab wall panels into place.
- The company sells prefabs that arrive in sections.
Forms
prefab · prefabs
prefabricate verb — To manufacture parts before their final assembly.
prefabrication noun — The manufacture of parts before final assembly.
Similar words
- prefabricated
- The full adjective form, rather than a countable building noun.
- modular
- Emphasizes separate units designed to fit together or expand.