primary industry

noun

1. an industry, as agriculture, forestry, or fishing, that deals in obtaining natural materials.

Word History and Origins

Origin of primary industry¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

Logging was once the primary industry, along with fishing and agriculture.

From Los Angeles Times

Eventually, they were bound to find themselves in a city whose primary industry is known for creating dreamers.

From Los Angeles Times

“Missoula used to be a wonderful place,” said Ken Sayler, 64, who grew up in the town when its primary industry sawmills.

From Seattle Times

“You think about John Grisham or Lee Child or James Patterson, those guys are creatures of the traditional publishing market. They were made by big publishers, they’ve been working with the same publishers for many years, they have a strong formula — it’s like a machine,” said Kristen McLean, the primary industry analyst for NPD BookScan.

From New York Times

They are concerned the BLM decision signifies a shift in range management that will favor restoration and harm ranching communities and cattle production, which is the primary industry in central Montana.

From Science Magazine