prefab
Americanadjective
noun
verb (used with object)
noun
Etymology
Origin of prefab
First recorded in 1935–40; by shortening
Explanation
Prefab is short for “prefabricated,” which means “made beforehand,” and not “before fabulous.” Prefab things are made in sections that can be easily shipped and put together to form a finished product. Some buildings and houses are prefab. Prefab can be used as a noun or adjective. When you talk about a cool prefab you saw downtown, you mean a prefabricated building, one that was built from parts that were shipped and quickly assembled. Prefab shelters have been made from converted shipping containers. Some furniture is sold this way, too, like a prefab bookshelf in flat box that contain sections you can take home and put together easily. Or so say the directions.
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.
See Examples For:
"The playground was just an asphalt strip between two rows of prefab buildings," he said, adding meetings with education authorities proved pointless.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
Friends of Prefab, a Pasadena-based volunteer organization formed as a forum for Altadena fire victims, has compiled a photo gallery of prefab offerings from 33 firms.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety does not identify prefab projects in its building permits, a spokesman said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
Their prefab design has managed to avoid plastics except, like Cirino's house, in plumbing.
From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026
The Chinese kids would hang out next to the prefab buildings.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
“Why would anyone want a prefabbed home?” one user wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2025
He has promised to keep his mind open and to maximize the pick’s value, but he also has repeatedly hinted at a prefabbed plan.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 20, 2020
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
