industry

American  

[in-duh-stree] / ˈɪn də stri /

noun

plural

industries

1. the aggregate of manufacturing or technically productive enterprises in a particular field, often named after its principal product.

   the automobile industry;

   the steel industry.

2. any general business activity; commercial enterprise.

   the Italian tourist industry.

3. trade or manufacture in general.

   the rise of industry in Africa.

4. the ownership and management of companies, factories, etc..

   friction between labor and industry.

5. systematic work or labor.

6. energetic, devoted activity at any work or task; diligence.

   Her teacher praised her industry.

   Synonyms:

   industriousness, assiduity, effort, application

7. the aggregate of work, scholarship, and ancillary activity in a particular field, often named after its principal subject.

   the Mozart industry.

8. Archaeology. an assemblage of artifacts regarded as unmistakably the work of a single prehistoric group.

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industry British  

/ ˈɪndəstrɪ /

noun

1. organized economic activity concerned with manufacture, extraction and processing of raw materials, or construction

2. a branch of commercial enterprise concerned with the output of a specified product or service

   the steel industry

3. 1. industrial ownership and management interests collectively, as contrasted with labour interests

   2. manufacturing enterprise collectively, as opposed to agriculture

4. diligence; assiduity

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Other Word Forms

• interindustry adjective
• mini-industry noun
• nonindustry adjective
• preindustry noun
• proindustry adjective
• subindustry noun
• superindustry noun

Etymology

Origin of industry

First recorded in 1475–85; earlier industrie, from Latin industria, noun use of feminine of industrius “diligent, assiduous”; industrious

Example Sentences

Meanwhile, the whole industry is threatened by upstart, high-tech Chinese carmakers that are making lower-cost vehicles.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Lemssouguer made prescient trades ahead of the Covid-19 pandemic and the software industry selloff this year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

But Coogan and Hays insist they are not journalists, even if they line up interviews with key figures in the industry who offer insightful access to the Silicon Valley world.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

“It borrowed from sports broadcasting, highlighting trades, promotions and relationships, and made the industry feel dynamic and entertaining,” Chaparro said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

The females are reared to become the next generation of dairy cows, whereas the males are handed over to the care of the meat industry.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Related Words

• business
• commerce
• corporation
• management
• production
• trade