Meanings
industrial complex1
nounindustrial complex (plural industrial complexes)
plural industrial complexes
- A large factory or a concentration of industry in a limited geographical area.
the Ruhr industrial complex
industrial complex2
nounindustrial complex (plural industrial complexes)
plural industrial complexes
- in compoundsusuallyA network of entwined interests between individuals and institutions in the private sector and the public sector resulting in coordination in order to achieve mutually beneficial results, especially to the detriment of broader society.
- The individuals and institutions in such a relationship.
Origin
Back-formation from military–industrial complex.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish teollisuuskompleksi
- teollisuuskompleksilarge factory or concentration of industry
German Industrieviertel, Industriegebiet
- Industrieviertellarge factory or concentration of industry
- Industriegebietlarge factory or concentration of industry
Spanish complejo industrial, factoría
- complejo industriallarge factory or concentration of industry
- factoríalarge factory or concentration of industry
- obrajelarge factory or concentration of industry
Cite this entry
APA
industrial complex. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/industrial%20complex
MLA
“industrial complex.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/industrial%20complex. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “industrial complex,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/industrial%20complex.
Source: industrial complex on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.