cottage industry

American  

noun

1. the production, for sale, of goods at home, as the making of handicrafts by rural families.

2. any small-scale, loosely organized industry.

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cottage industry British  

noun

1. an industry in which employees work in their own homes, often using their own equipment

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Etymology

Origin of cottage industry

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cottage industry

Mombasa B is in a fleet of tankers controlled by the dominant company in the cottage industry of shuttle shippers, South Korea’s Sinokor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

As a result, a cottage industry of mental health “expat therapists” has emerged, helping people navigate these complex emotions of moving abroad.

From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026

What was once a cottage industry of such training has metamorphosed, with nearly every multifamily office, bank and peer-membership group offering its own version.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 2026

A whole cottage industry has also developed online to advise landlords how to flip rental properties.

From BBC ● May 20, 2026

Daniel and Moses thought they were paying a courtesy call on a cottage industry, but the cottage was a castle.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis