OFF-THE-SHELF Definition & Meaning

off-the-shelf

[ awf-thuh-shelf, of- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

readily available from merchandise in stock.
made according to a standardized format; not developed for specialized or individual needs; ready-made:
off-the-shelf computer programs.

off the shelf

adverb

from stock and readily available
you can have this model off the shelf

adjective

of or relating to a product that is readily available
an off-the-shelf model
of or denoting a company that has been registered with the Registrar of Companies for the sole purpose of being sold

Discover More

51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of off-the-shelf¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

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 .

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Besides potential advantages in speed, modular construction promises greater affordability and an off-the-shelf solution simpler to manage than designing a custom home.

From

In 2023, the council announced it would purchase a new "off-the-shelf" housing system to deal with ongoing tech problems following the hack.

From

In the end, they were able to use an off-the-shelf, pretrained image diffusion model to create smooth, realistic-looking 3D shapes without the need for costly retraining.

From

The drones are modified off-the-shelf models which have cameras to send video back to their remote operators.

From

Durham Cathedral began using off-the-shelf discounting formulas in 1626, resolving decades of localized disagreement as well.

From

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Browse