Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Not industrial; not having highly developed manufacturing enterprises or industries: Describes an area, society, or economy that is not characterized by large-scale, mechanized production of goods. It often implies a reliance on agriculture, crafts, or other pre-industrial modes of production.

Usage

• The adjective nonindustrial is used to describe a place, period, or economic system that lacks an industrial base.
• It typically contrasts directly with "industrial."
• It is often used in economic, sociological, and historical contexts.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • The region remains largely nonindustrial, with most residents working in farming or tourism.
  • Studying nonindustrial societies helps anthropologists understand human social organization before mass production.
  • The country's nonindustrial economy made it vulnerable to fluctuations in agricultural prices.

Advanced Usage

• "nonindustrial world": Refers to parts of the globe not dominated by industrial manufacturing.
  • Many environmental practices from the nonindustrial world are gaining interest for their sustainability.
• "nonindustrial use": Often used in zoning or law to designate land or buildings not for manufacturing purposes.
  • This zoning district is designated for nonindustrial use, such as residential or light commercial.

Variants and Related Words

• Non-industrially (adverb): In a nonindustrial manner.
  • The area developed non-industrially, preserving its rural character.
• Preindustrial (adjective): Of, relating to, or being a society or economy before the widespread use of machines and factories. While similar, "preindustrial" specifically refers to a time before industrialization, whereas "nonindustrial" can describe a present-day condition without implying a historical sequence.

Synonyms

• Agrarian: Relating to cultivated land or the cultivation of land.
• Preindustrial: Existing before the development of large-scale industry.
• Underdeveloped: (In an economic context) Not having advanced industry or infrastructure.

Antonyms

• Industrial: Having highly developed industries.
• Manufacturing: Relating to the large-scale production of goods.
• Industrialized: Having developed industries on a large scale.

Adjective

1. not having highly developed manufacturing enterprises
   • a nonindustrial society