industrial
/ɪnˈdʌstriəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈdʌstriəl/ (ame, ipa) · /in-ˈdə-strē-əl/ (ame, mw) · /ɪnˈdʌs.tri.əl/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈdʌs.tri.əl/ (ame, ipa)
industrial — adjective
- industrialpositive
- more industrialcomparative
- most industrialsuperlative
1. connected with the production of goods in factories, or describing a place where
connected with the production of goods in factories, or describing a place where many factories are located and manufacturing is the main economic activity.
Tariq works in an industrial park on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.
collocation: industrial park
The old industrial buildings were turned into modern apartments.
attributive: industrial + noun (buildings)
Sivan grew up in an industrial town where the main employer was a car plant.
Industrial waste must be treated before it reaches rivers and lakes.
Obi visited an industrial region in southern China with many electronics factories.
- manufacturing
narrower — focuses on the process of making goods rather than the physical setting
- factory
used as a compound noun (factory work, factory town) rather than as a true adjective
- industrialised
describes an economy or region that already has a developed industrial base
- agricultural
describes an area focused on farming rather than manufacturing
- residential
describes an area of homes, not factories
文法句型
industrial + noun
用法筆記
Attributive use is the norm — the adjective almost always appears before a noun (industrial park, industrial waste). The opposite of an industrial area is often a rural or agricultural area.
常見錯誤
2. extremely large in size, amount, or scale — like the massive quantities associat
extremely large in size, amount, or scale — like the massive quantities associated with heavy industry and factories.
The bakery uses industrial-sized ovens to bake hundreds of loaves per hour.
compound: industrial-sized
Tamar needed an industrial amount of paint to cover the warehouse walls.
collocation: industrial amount
During the festival, the kitchen prepared food on an industrial scale.
Élise bought an industrial bag of rice to feed her extended family.
Jude ordered industrial quantities of paper for the company's annual report.
文法句型
industrial + noun (quantity/scale/size)
用法筆記
Common in informal contexts as an exaggeration for 'very large'. Typical before nouns like scale, quantities, amounts, and in the compound industrial-sized. Not used for physical dimensions (an industrial room) — instead use enormous or massive.
常見錯誤
industrial — noun
- industrialsingular
- industrialsplural
1. a company that makes goods in factories, rather than providing services or selli
a company that makes goods in factories, rather than providing services or selling raw materials.
Christopher invested in a Taiwanese industrial that produces computer chips.
countable singular: a[n] + industrial
The industrial announced plans to build a new assembly line in Vietnam.
European industrials have faced sharply higher energy costs this year.
Feng works for one of the largest industrials in the automotive sector.
Manuela's report compares the profits of Asian and American industrials.
- manufacturer
more specific — refers to a company or person that physically makes products
- maker
informal, often used in compounds (car maker, chip maker)
文法句型
article/determiner + industrial
plural: industrials
用法筆記
Frequently in the plural (industrials) when referring to manufacturing companies as a sector or group. The singular (an industrial) is common in financial reporting but less frequent in everyday conversation, where company or manufacturer is preferred.
常見錯誤
2. stocks, shares, or bonds that are issued by manufacturing companies, often trade
stocks, shares, or bonds that are issued by manufacturing companies, often traded together as a category.
Isabela sold her industrials when the market started to drop in early March.
plural: sell one's industrials
The fund manager recommended buying Asian industrials for long-term growth.
Ravindra focused his portfolio on industrials from the automotive sector.
Nikhil compared the performance of industrials with technology stocks.
- industrial stocks
more transparent — adds 'stocks' for clarity
- industrial shares
British English preference, equivalent to stocks
- equities
broader category covering all stocks, not just manufacturing
文法句型
plural: industrials
用法筆記
Almost always in plural when referring to the investment category. The singular (an industrial) can refer to a specific bond or stock certificate from one company. More common in financial journalism than in everyday speech — most people say industrial stocks or industrial shares.
常見錯誤
3. a style of ear piercing in which two holes are made through the upper cartilage
a style of ear piercing in which two holes are made through the upper cartilage and connected with a single long metal bar.
Henrik winced when the piercer pushed the needle through for his industrial.
get + an industrial (piercing procedure)
The industrial on her right ear became swollen after just a few days.
Joshua picked a titanium barbell for his first industrial piercing.
Jin cleans his industrial twice a day to keep the area free of infection.
Amihan's industrial healed after about four months of careful cleaning.
- scaffold piercing
alternative name, more common in British English
文法句型
get/have + an industrial
industrial + piercing
用法筆記
Used as a countable noun (an industrial, two industrials). The word by itself means the piercing type — you do not need to say industrial piercing every time. Healing takes longer than lobe piercings (typically 3-6 months) because cartilage heals slowly.