industry

[in-duh-stree]

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.

industry

/ 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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of industry¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of industry¹

C15: from Latin industria diligence, from industrius active, of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

Its history should teach us a few things: The ineluctability of technological change in the consumer industry.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

People thinking they’re gaming me up or trying to share industry knowledge with me.

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It’s a growing source of energy that could replace fossil fuels in some industry and transportation uses.

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Opponents, including the influential entertainment industry, had argued it would be difficult to implement because streaming services don't have the same control over ad volume as broadcasters.

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But the new announcement makes clear that licenses are unlikely to be issued to arms manufacturers and certain companies in the chip industry.

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Related Words

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