Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

modular

American  
[moj-uh-ler] / ˈmɒdʒ ə lər /

adjective

  1. of or relating to a module or a modulus.

  2. composed of standardized units or sections for easy construction or flexible arrangement.

    a modular home; a modular sofa.

  3. Mathematics. (of a lattice) having the property that for any two elements with one less than the other, the union of the smaller element with the intersection of the larger element and any third element of the lattice is equal to the intersection of the larger element with the union of the smaller element and the third element.

  4. Computers. composed of software or hardware modules that can be altered or replaced without affecting the remainder of the system.


noun

  1. something, as a house or piece of furniture, built or organized in self-contained units or sections.

  2. a self-contained unit or item, as of furniture, that can be combined or interchanged with others like it to create different shapes or designs.

modular British  
/ ˌmɒdjʊˈlærɪtɪ, ˈmɒdjʊlə /

adjective

  1. of, consisting of, or resembling a module or modulus

"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

  • modularity noun

Etymology

Origin of modular

From the New Latin word modulāris, dating back to 1790–1800. See module, -ar 1

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.

Some hyperscalers are exploring on-site generation, including small modular nuclear reactors and natural-gas peakers, to reduce grid dependence.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

The studios would rent for about $1,500 a month and weren’t that small, he said, given modular furniture—beds that fold up, closets that pop out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

"In civil nuclear energy, we have struck a landmark deal for long-term uranium supply," Modi said, adding the countries would also work together on small modular reactors and advanced reactors.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

They found that DNA loops and folds according to a modular pattern, enabling different regulatory signals to influence specific regions of the genome.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026

Everything was enclosed behind high, white walls, in what the two researchers described in 2004 as a hive of “repetitive, modular cells organized in high-walled geometric blocks.”

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann