industry
n. C / Un. the companies and activities involved in making things or providing services. It can also mean the quality of working very hard.
n. the production of goods or services within an economy; a specific branch of commercial enterprise. In its abstract sense, it refers to the quality of being hardworking and diligent.
The tourism industry is growing fast in this city.
New regulations were introduced to reduce the amount of pollution created by heavy industry.
While the tech industry dominates the local economy, the traditional manufacturing sector remains a vital source of employment for the region's aging workforce.
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”).
Countable when referring to a specific sector (the film industry); uncountable when referring to the abstract quality of hard work.