off-the-shelf

American  

[awf-thuh-shelf, of-] / ˈɔf ðəˈʃɛlf, ˈɒf- /

adjective

1. readily available from merchandise in stock.

2. made according to a standardized format; not developed for specialized or individual needs; ready-made.

   off-the-shelf computer programs.

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off the shelf British  

adverb

1. from stock and readily available

   you can have this model off the shelf

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adjective

1. of or relating to a product that is readily available

   an off-the-shelf model

2. of or denoting a company that has been registered with the Registrar of Companies for the sole purpose of being sold

off the shelf Idioms  

1. Ready-made, available from merchandise or in stock, as opposed to a special order. For example, Sometimes you can get a better discount by buying an appliance off the shelf. [First half of 1900s] Also see off the rack; on the shelf.

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Etymology

Origin of off-the-shelf

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

In Ukraine, armed forces use off-the-shelf gear, from power sources and communications tools to chemicals and lubricants.

From The Wall Street Journal

“If the AI center people need industrial gas turbines for power, why don’t they simply order some off-the-shelf ones from people with experience providing them?”

From Barron's

On an industrial stretch on the west side of Oakland, Calif., a startup called Brimstone is processing gabbro with proprietary chemistry and off-the-shelf equipment to produce aluminum, magnesium and other minerals frequently imported from China.

From The Wall Street Journal

"We want to democratize gene therapy by creating off-the-shelf tools that can cure a large group of patients in one shot," Finkelstein said.

From Science Daily

He said defendants used "very sophisticated technology" like altered off-the-shelf shuffling machines that could read the cards.

From BBC