Added 9 October 2026
industry
/ˈɪn.də.stɹi/ noun
In Latin: industria Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about industry at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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The tendency to work persistently.
Over the years, their industry and business sense made them wealthy.
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Businesses of the same type, considered as a whole; trade.
The software and tourism industries continue to grow, while the steel industry remains troubled.
- Businesses that produce goods as opposed to services.
Origin
From Middle English industry, industrie, from Old French industrie, from Latin industria (“diligence, activity, industry”), from industrius (“diligent, active, zealous”), from Old Latin indostruus (“diligent, active”); origin unknown. Perhaps from indu (“in”) + ūst-, ūstr-, stem of ūrō (“burn, burn up, consume”, verb), related to Old High German ūstrī (“industry”), Old English andūstrian (“to hate, detest”, literally “to be consumed with zeal”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)