English
industrious
Industrious comes from Late Latin industriosus ‘diligent, active, industrious’, and goes back to Latin industria.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEindustria‘diligence, industry’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEindustriosus‘diligent, active, industrious’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600industrieux
- Englishearliest quotation 1941industrious
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEindustria‘diligence, industry’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEindustriosus‘diligent, active, industrious’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600industrieux
- Englishearliest quotation 1941industrious
Earliest quotation: 1941, Ogden Nash, The Face is Familiar: “The ant has made himself illustrious / Through constant…”
Every English word from Latin industria
Today it means
adj Hard-working and persistent.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin industria / industrious