Definition of: industrious

(in·dus′trē·əs) adjective
1. Assiduously or habitually occupied in any work, business, or pursuit.
2. Indicating diligence.
3. Industrial. [<F industrieux <L industriosus]
—in·dus′tri·ous·ly adverb
—in·dus′tri·ous·ness noun Synonyms: active, assiduous, busy, diligent, employed, engaged, occupied, sedulous. Industrious signifies zealously or habitually applying oneself to any work or business. Busy applies to an activity which may be temporary, industrious to a habit of life. We say a man is busy just now; that is, occupied at the moment with something that takes his full attention. It would be ridiculous or satirical to say, He is industrious just now. But busy can be used in the sense of industrious, as when we say he is a busy man. Diligent indicates also a disposition, which is ordinarily habitual, and suggests more of heartiness and volition than industrious. We say one is a diligent, rather than an industrious, reader of the Bible. Compare ACTIVE, BUSY, INDEFATIGABLE.