Precast

Part of speech: adjective, verb

Pronunciation: /pɹiˈkæst/

Definitions

1. A construction process that entails manufacturing components beforehand for later assembly at the actual building site
2. This technique involves producing building materials in advance to be transported and joined together at the designated location
3. A method in construction where elements are fabricated off-site ahead of time for eventual assembly in their intended location

Etymology: Precast is a straightforward compound: the prefix "pre-", meaning "before", attached to "cast", meaning to shape something by pouring material into a mould. The idea behind the word is simply that the shaping happens ahead of time, away from the site where the finished piece will stand. Concrete beams, wall panels and staircases are typically cast in a factory or yard, then hauled to the location and fitted into place. The "cast" part has an unexpectedly long pedigree. It traces back through Middle English "casten" to Old Norse "kasta", meaning "to throw", which is why casting once meant hurling something, and the sense of pouring molten metal into a mould developed from that idea of throwing material into a shape. The Old Norse root itself is linked to Proto-Germanic "kastōnąn", and the word's English history therefore runs through Scandinavian rather than the Latin route taken by many building terms.

Synonyms: prefabricated, manufactured, modular

Antonyms: cast-in-place, on-site