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

But after being made redundant, he decided to set-up a business in the food industry.

From BBC

"That is, wow, that is very, very sweet of you to think about me this much, even if it's negative. In my industry, attention is affection, and you've given me a whole lot of it."

From BBC

Since Ms Roper's death, measures have been introduced across the rail industry to prevent passengers leaning out of droplight windows.

From BBC

Those include major consolidation in the industry as studios look to cut costs and move TV and film production overseas because of hefty financial incentives.

From Los Angeles Times

The idea is that the hydrogen, which burns at a very high temperature, will be able to replace planet-warming fossil fuels in some industry and transportation uses.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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