industrial
in-DUS-tree-ul
/ɪnˈdʌstriəl/
Relating to, or characterized by, highly developed industries and manufacturing.
Can describe a period of history, a type of zone, or the scale of a process.
The story behind the word. Derived from the Latin 'industria', which meant 'diligence' or 'hard work'. Over time, the word shifted from describing a person's effort to describing the massive systems of collective effort we call 'industry'.
Word relationships
- manufacturing: Manufacturing is the act; industrial is the broader adjective describing the environment or scale.
- agrarian: Relating to cultivated land or the cultivation of land (farming).
Commonly confused with
- industrious: Industrious means hard-working; industrial means relating to industry.
Word family
- industry (noun): Economic activity concerned with the processing of raw materials.
- industrialize (verb): To develop industries in a country or region.
Collocations
- industrial park
- industrial waste
- industrial design
- industrial output
Example sentences
- "The Industrial Revolution marked a major turning point in history; almost every aspect of daily life was influenced in some way." Describing the shift in human history.
Memory hook
Think of 'Dust' in a factory. Industrial zones are often dusty from all the work. Industrial = Industry-related.
When not to use
Don't use to describe a person's hard work; use 'industrious' instead.
Fun facts
- The term 'Industrial Revolution' was popularized by the English economic historian Arnold Toynbee.
Related words
Explore more words
industrious, societal, spatial, daily, feedstock, analytical
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