industrial revolution

[in-duhs-tree-uhl rev-uh-loo-shuhn]

noun

1. none the industrial revolution or the Industrial Revolution the totality of the changes in economic and social organization that began about 1760 in England and later in other countries, characterized chiefly by the replacement of hand tools with power-driven machines, such as the power loom and the steam engine, and by the concentration of industry in large establishments.

2. any period of change to the economic and social organization of a country, region, etc., that is characterized by the replacement of hand tools with power-driven machines and the concentration of industry in large establishments.

Industrial Revolution

noun

1. the transformation in the 18th and 19th centuries of first Britain and then other W European countries and the US into industrial nations

Industrial Revolution

1. The rapid industrial growth that began in England during the middle of the eighteenth century and then spread over the next 50 years to many other countries, including the United States. The revolution depended on devices such as the steam engine (see James Watt), which were invented at a rapidly increasing rate during the period. The Industrial Revolution brought on a rapid concentration of people in cities and changed the nature of work for many people. (See Luddites.)

Word History and Origins

Origin of Industrial Revolution¹

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

The second round of the Industrial Revolution was on the horizon, the Confederacy was on its last legs, and the first Juneteenth celebration was born.

From Los Angeles Times

There were a lot of reasons for this but one of the main ones was competition for the natural resources required to fuel the Second Industrial Revolution.

From Salon

For a start, the term "Industrial Revolution" was coined.

From Salon

The station was at the southern end of a line built in 1840 that helped make Wales one of the world’s greatest powers during the Industrial Revolution.

From BBC

Los Angeles has been a haven for transplants and immigrants since the tail end of the Industrial Revolution and the introduction of the railroad.

From Los Angeles Times