Meaning & use
modular design
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountable
A way of designing things from separate parts that can be easily replaced or combined in different ways.
Grammar: Uncountable; do not say 'a modular design' when referring to the approach. However, 'a modular design' can mean one specific design.
Patterns
- modular design of something
- use modular design
- based on modular design
The furniture company uses modular design so customers can add shelves later.
Modular design in software makes it easier to update one part without breaking the rest.
The architect praised the building's modular design, which allowed rooms to be rearranged.
Common combinations
- modular design approach
- They adopted a modular design approach to speed up production.
- principles of modular design
- The course covers the principles of modular design.
- modular design system
- The new phone uses a modular design system for its camera.
- benefits of modular design
- One benefit of modular design is that broken parts can be swapped out.
Synonyms and how they differ
- modularity
- Modularity is the quality of being modular; modular design is the method or approach.
Word family
- module noun
- One separate part of a larger system.
- modular adjective
- Made of separate parts that can be combined.
- modularize verb
- To design something using separate modules.
Commonly confused: modular design or modular home?
modular design vs modular home
A modular home is a specific type of house built in sections; modular design is the general approach used to create it.
Practice
What does 'modular design' mean?
Choose one answer.
Option 2 is correct because modular design means building from independent modules that can be replaced or combined. Option 1 is the opposite. Option 3 is not part of the definition. Option 4 is too narrow; modular design applies to furniture, buildings, and more.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “modular design”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.