design

Design means to create a plan or sketch of something that is going to be made later, especially a plan that details what the finished thing will do and look like. A design is the plan or sketch created as a result of this activity. Design also means to intend something for a specific purpose. Design has several other senses as a verb and a noun.

Design means to sketch something out and draw up a plan of how the finished project will look and function. For example, the government will have a team design a new bridge before actually building it. This means that someone will draw a sketch of what they want the bridge to look like and determine how much weight they want the bridge to hold. The people who actually build the bridge will consult this plan to guide them in the construction. A person who makes these preliminary sketches is called a designer.

Real-life examples: Architects design new buildings. Mattel and Hasbro design new toys. Microsoft and Apple frequently design new computers and gadgets.

Used in a sentence: The engineer designed a new type of airplane wing. 

A design is the actual sketch or drawing that a person who is designing something creates. On the internet, you can find some early and original designs of many popular products we use today. Often, these early designs are quite different from the final product.

Used in a sentence: The scientists were working on a design for a new type of spacecraft. 

Design also means to intend something for a specific purpose.

Real-life examples: Hats are designed to be worn on the head. A lawnmower is designed to cut grass. Cars are not designed for driving underwater.

Used in a sentence: The ad campaign was designed to attract more teenage fans. 

The first records of design come from around 1350. It ultimately comes from the Latin dēsignāre, meaning “to mark out.”

What are some other forms related to design?

• designable (adjective)
• designer (noun)
• outdesign (verb)
• overdesign (verb)
• predesign (verb)
• redesign (verb)

What are some synonyms for design?

• drawing
• plan
• outline
• devise
• create
• sketch
• draft
• devise

What are some words that share a root or word element with design? 

• sign
• designate
• designer
• designing
• by design

What are some words that often get used in discussing design?

• invention
• creation
• fashion
• art
• computer
• costume
• graphic

Design is a common word that is often used to refer to an initial plan of something, especially something new.

Bill Gates designed the current iPhone podcast app, right?

— andrewosenga (@andrewosenga) January 7, 2013

I basically designed the menu around things that don’t require a ton of prep work, but I’ll have a bit. Mostly chopping veggies, making desserts, and yeast rolls.

— mravantcentre🦉 (@mravantcentre) December 23, 2020

My lower back pain serves as a reminder of my age and that my parents' kitchen wasn't designed with someone 6'2" in mind.

— one Wolf (@GroverTMuldoon) November 27, 2020

True or False?

A bicycle design is a picture of the finished bicycle with a list of all of its features.