definitions

industrious

[ in-duhs-tree-uhs ]
/ ɪnˈdʌs tri əs /
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR industrious ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

working energetically and devotedly; hard-working; diligent: an industrious person.
Obsolete. skillful.

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RELATED WORDS

productive, energetic, diligent, conscientious, active, assiduous, burning, busy, dynamic, eager, grind, intent, involved, laborious, operose, perky, persevering, persistent, purposeful, sedulous

Nearby words

industrialist, industrialization, industrialize, industrialized, industrials, industrious, industriously, industry, industrywide, indwell, indwelling

Origin of industrious

1525–35; < Middle French industrie “cleverness, skill,” from Old French industrie “contrivance, device,” from Latin industrius “diligent, assiduous”; equivalent to indo-, by-form of in-in-2 + -struus, noun derivative of struere “to arrange, devise, build”
Related forms
Can be confusedindustrial industrious

Synonym study

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

Examples from the Web for industrious

British Dictionary definitions for industrious

industrious

/ (ɪnˈdʌstrɪəs) /

adjective

hard-working, diligent, or assiduous
an obsolete word for skilful
Derived Formsindustriously, adverbindustriousness, noun
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 industrious

industrious

adj.

"characterized by energy, effort, and attention," 1520s (implied in industriously), from Middle French industrieux and directly from Late Latin industriosus, from Latin industria (see industry). Retains the etymological sense. Related: Industriousness.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper