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industrius

Etymology and origin of the Latin word industrius

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (struō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɪnˈdʊs.tri.ʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [inˈdus.tri.us][1]

Forms

industrius (feminine industria, neuter industrium, comparative industrior or industriior); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is apparently from the archaic prefix indu “in, within” and struō “to build”, with the suffix -ius: Festus records an archaic form indostruus.[2][1][3][4] Lewis and Short explain it as “building within”, active within.[5] Wiktionary mentions a less likely link with Old High German ustrī (“industry”).[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Plautus, who has the comparative industrior.[6][2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant diligent, active, zealous, assiduous, as Cicero's homō gnāvus et industrius and Tacitus' energetic men.[2][5][4] Cato has the comparative industriior.[2]

In Medieval Latin it meant assiduous, energetic, and was used in royal style.[7] English industry came in the late 15th century from its noun industria “diligence”, and English industrious in the 1550s.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses the comparative industrior.[2][6]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses the comparative industriior.[2][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of an active man.[5][6]
  • late 15th century – English industry is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Diligent, active, zealous, industrious.[2]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
Cite this entry

“Industrius.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/industrius. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·