cottage industry

noun

1

: an industry whose labor force consists of family units or individuals working at home with their own equipment

2

: a small and often informally organized industry

3

: a limited but enthusiastically pursued activity or subject

… this debate about sex and law became a cottage industry for feminist academics …

—Wendy Kaminer

Examples of cottage industry in a Sentence

weaving, pottery, and other cottage industries

Recent Examples on the Web

Documenting the life of Marilyn Monroe has been a cottage industry for more than 60 years. —Pat Saperstein, Variety, 1 June 2026

Those advocating for a fundamental reset — including Newsom, businesses, cities and counties — say a cottage industry of consultants and attorneys have morphed the claim process to include common ailments such as high blood pressure and toenail fungus. —Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2026

But is Silicon Valley know-how enough to transform a small cottage industry into a thriving national business? —Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 24 May 2026

There’s an entire cottage industry on YouTube built on Star Wars hate (much of it deserved). —Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cottage industry

• interindustry