industrious

The word "industrious" is a direct derivative of the noun "industry." It entered English in the late 16th century, formed by adding the adjectival suffix "-ous" to the existing word. The Latin source, industria, originally meant "diligence" or "zealous activity." The semantic logic is transparent: someone who is "industrious" is literally "full of industry" or characterized by diligent effort. This meaning has remained stable, focusing on the quality of steady, hard work rather than the modern, more institutional sense of "industry" as a sector of production.

Structure: industry (diligence) + ous (adjective suffix) - industry: From Latin industria meaning "diligence, activity." In this word, it functions as the core root conveying the sense of hard work. - ous: A suffix of Latin origin (-osus) used to form adjectives meaning "full of" or "characterized by."