industrial

[in-duhs-tree-uh l]

adjective

of, pertaining to, of the nature of, or resulting from industry: industrial production; industrial waste.

having many and highly developed industries: an industrial nation.

engaged in an industry or industries: industrial workers.

of or relating to the workers in industries: industrial training.

used in industry: industrial diamonds: industrial fabrics.

noting or pertaining to industrial life insurance.

noun

an industrial product: diamonds classed as industrials and nonindustrials.

a company engaged in industrial enterprises.

an employee in some industry, especially a manufacturing industry.

industrials, stocks and bonds of industrial companies.

Origin of industrial

First recorded in 1580–90; industry + -al¹

Related formsin·dus·tri·al·ly, adverbin·dus·tri·al·ness, nounnon·in·dus·tri·al, adjectivenon·in·dus·tri·al·ly, adverbpre·in·dus·tri·al, adjectivepro·in·dus·tri·al, adjectivequa·si-in·dus·tri·al, adjectivequa·si-in·dus·tri·al·ly, adverbsem·i-in·dus·tri·al, adjectivesem·i-in·dus·tri·al·ly, adverbun·in·dus·tri·al, adjective

Can be confusedindustrial industrious

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for industrials

Historical Examples of industrials

He reduces them to three groups: industrials, artists, and scientists (savants).
Elements of Morals
Paul Janet
With pleasure and relief he turned from the Industrials to the Soldiers.
The Soul of Susan Yellam
Horace Annesley Vachell
It yielded pasturage to two sets of industrials—sheep and bees.
A Walk from London to John O'Groat's
Elihu Burritt
Once he had owned a hundred shares of one of the Industrials.
By the Light of the Soul
Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
It was a period of expansion and confidence; much money was seeking investment and "Industrials" were the fashion.
Tono Bungay
H. G. Wells

British Dictionary definitions for industrials

industrials

pl n

stocks, shares, and bonds of industrial enterprises

industrial

adjective

of, relating to, derived from, or characteristic of industry

employed in industrythe industrial workforce

relating to or concerned with workers in industryindustrial conditions

used in industryindustrial chemicals

Derived Formsindustrially, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for industrials

industrial

adj.

1774, from French industriel, from Medieval Latin industrialis, from Latin industria (see industry). Earlier the word had been used in English in a sense "resulting from labor" (1580s); the modern use is considered a reborrowing. Meaning "suitable for industrial use" is from 1904. As a style of dance music, attested from 1988. Industrial revolution was in use by 1840 to refer to recent developments and changes in England and elsewhere.