If you were to hear the term "industrial" applied to something, what would you assume that this word means? The actual definition of the word refers to almost any act related to the business of manufacturing something. However, the word can be applied to different situations to mean slightly different things.

For example, if you were talking about industrial music then you would be talking about a genre of music that relies on various sources of noise that are intended to reflect the sounds that come from the world of manufacturing. This music isn’t necessarily produced from industrial equipment (although it may be) but instead is symbolic of industry. Likewise, if you were talking about industrial engineering then you would be talking about the business of engineering as it applies to certain types of manufacturing.

For most people, the assumption is made that something industrial is harsh or rough, like the world of manufacturing. But at its core, industrial means having to do with industry - whether that’s the revolution of industry (as in the Industrial Revolution) or the sounds of industry (as in Industrial Music). The images that are conjured up by the word "industrial" are probably correct but only partially so.