industry

Universal Words noun (plural industries) 1 [U] the production of goods from raw materials, especially in factories: heavy / light industry * the needs of British industry * She got a job in industry. 2 [C] the people and activities involved in producing a particular thing, or in providing a particular service: the steel industry * the catering / tourist industry * We need to develop local industries. * (figurative, disapproving) the Madonna industry (= the large number of people involved in making Madonna successful) seealsoCAPTAINOFINDUSTRY, COTTAGEINDUSTRY, HEAVYINDUSTRY 3 [U] (formal) the quality of working hard: We were impressed by their industry.