cottage industry
noun
1
: an industry whose labor force consists of family units or individuals working at home with their own equipment
2
: a small and often informally organized industry
3
: a limited but enthusiastically pursued activity or subject
this debate about sex and law became a cottage industry for feminist academics—
Wendy Kaminer
Wendy KaminerExamples of cottage industry in a Sentence
weaving, pottery, and other cottage industries
Recent Examples on the Web
Runners-up: Despite a cottage industry built around Texas history textbooks, no others come close.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 15 Oct. 2024
Photograph: Getty Images Tales of flights filled with service peacocks, service rabbits, service monkeys, service turkeys, and service iguanas have become an internet cottage industry.
—Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 22 Jan. 2020
Add to the mix a hyper-competitive media landscape and now in 2024 a cottage industry of pollsters, pundits and even gamblers who seek to give each side - and nervous undecided voters - a preview of what will happen.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011), directed by John Madden
This breakout British domestic hit spawned not only a sequel but possibly an entire cottage industry of golden-oldie AARP feel-good hits.
—Christina Newland, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cottage industry 
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Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 15 Oct. 2024
Photograph: Getty Images Tales of flights filled with service peacocks, service rabbits, service monkeys, service turkeys, and service iguanas have become an internet cottage industry.
—Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 22 Jan. 2020
Add to the mix a hyper-competitive media landscape and now in 2024 a cottage industry of pollsters, pundits and even gamblers who seek to give each side - and nervous undecided voters - a preview of what will happen.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011), directed by John Madden
This breakout British domestic hit spawned not only a sequel but possibly an entire cottage industry of golden-oldie AARP feel-good hits.
—Christina Newland, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cottage industry
Dictionary Entries Near cottage industry
Cite this Entry
“Cottage industry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cottage%20industry. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.
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