What does preindustrial mean?
Preindustrial describes the world, economy, or society that existed before industrialization and the spread of mechanized factory production. The term is especially associated with the period before the Industrial Revolution, when communities relied more heavily on manual labor, local materials, and inherited techniques of agriculture and craftsmanship. “Preindustrial society” is therefore not simply a synonym for “ancient”: relatively recent rural communities could also be preindustrial. In historical and economic writing, the adjective may emphasize the organization of production rather than assigning a precise date. Its contrast with “industrial” or “postindustrial” helps distinguish different stages of technological and economic development. The word is especially useful when discussing agriculture, household production, labor, technology, and the social consequences of mechanization.
adjectiveRelating to the period before industrialization, especially the technological, economic, and social conditions preceding the Industrial Revolution. It may also describe an economy or society in which production relies largely on manual labor and relatively simple technology.
- Belonging to or occurring before the Industrial Revolution or the development of large-scale mechanized industry.
- Characterized by production methods that rely mainly on manual labor and relatively simple technology rather than modern industrial machinery.
"The exhibition examines how food, clothing, and shelter were produced in preindustrial communities."
"Historians have long studied how preindustrial communities dealt with changes in population and climate."
"The factory sharply contrasts with the small-scale production typical of a preindustrial economy."
Preindustrial does more than mark a date: it evokes a world in which everyday production depended chiefly on human labor, local materials, and inherited methods.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does preindustrial come from?
The word combines the prefix pre-, meaning “before,” with the adjective industrial. Industrial was borrowed into English through French industriel, from Latin industria, meaning “activity, diligence, or industry,” which is associated with induco, “to lead, induce, or pursue.” The same Latin origin underlies English words such as industry and industrious, while the prefixed form developed to describe economic and social conditions preceding large-scale industrialization.
Related word forms
How preindustrial is actually used
This term is commonly used in history, economics, archaeology, and discussions of technology and development. It is often attributive, appearing before a noun such as “era,” “society,” or “economy.” The unhyphenated spelling is standard, although “pre-industrial” also occurs in edited and historical writing.