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

Read Katie’s full story for a deeper look at how brands are navigating the backlash—and the cottage industry of agencies promising to help.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

In the intervening years, however, a cottage industry of compounding pharmacies emerged, including Ro and Hims & Hers Health.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

From my perspective, the heart of venture will always be Sand Hill Road, but backing startups has gone from a cottage industry to a global movement that has created millions of jobs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 23, 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