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cottage industry

noun

Definition of cottage industry

  1. 1 :  an industry whose labor force consists of family units or individuals working at home with their own equipment

  2. 2 :  a small and often informally organized industry

  3. 3 :  a limited but enthusiastically pursued activity or subject this debate about sex and law became a cottage industry for feminist academics — Wendy Kaminer

See cottage industry defined for English-language learners

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Examples of cottage industry in a Sentence

  1. weaving, pottery, and other cottage industries

1921

First Known Use of cottage industry

1921

COTTAGE INDUSTRY Defined for English Language Learners

cottage industry

noun

Definition of cottage industry for English Language Learners

  • : a system for making products to sell in which people work in their own homes and use their own equipment

Learn More about cottage industry

  1. Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cottage industry

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Examples: cottage industry in a Sentence