industry

The story

1. Old Latin · derived fromindostruus“diligent, active”
2. Latin · derived fromindustria“diligence, activity, industry”
3. Old French · derived fromindustrie
4. Middle English · inherited fromindustry
5. English todayindustry

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”).

Words from the same roots