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
Wendy KaminerExamples of cottage industry in a Sentence
weaving, pottery, and other cottage industries
Recent Examples on the Web
First hitting screens in 2002, the series has since become a cottage industry.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Because the sheriff’s office only accepts bail in person, with cash or a cashier’s check — and because local bondsmen will not serve migrants — many migrants have been forced to make similar payments to a cottage industry of informal couriers.
—Jack Herrera Jack Herrera, New York Times, 1 May 2025
These shows were also a benefit — for cats — launching a veritable cottage industry of CAT FLAG T-shirts.
—Jim Ruland, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
Therefore there's a cottage industry, spearheaded by NASA's Simulant Development Laboratory, which creates different types of simulated lunar regolith.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cottage industry
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Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Because the sheriff’s office only accepts bail in person, with cash or a cashier’s check — and because local bondsmen will not serve migrants — many migrants have been forced to make similar payments to a cottage industry of informal couriers.
—Jack Herrera Jack Herrera, New York Times, 1 May 2025
These shows were also a benefit — for cats — launching a veritable cottage industry of CAT FLAG T-shirts.
—Jim Ruland, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
Therefore there's a cottage industry, spearheaded by NASA's Simulant Development Laboratory, which creates different types of simulated lunar regolith.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cottage industry
Cite this Entry
“Cottage industry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cottage%20industry. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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