'purpose-built' originates from the combination of 'purpose' and 'built', where 'purpose' meant 'the reason for which something is done' and 'built' refers to the construction or creation of something.

The term 'purpose-built' has been used in modern English to describe structures or items specifically designed for a particular function.

Initially, it meant 'constructed for a specific reason', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.