Manufacturing is the process of making large numbers of goods, often using machines in factories. As an adjective, it describes things related to this kind of production.
From 'manufacture' with the '-ing' form to show ongoing action or a general process. 'Manufacture' itself comes from Latin for 'made by hand', even though modern manufacturing is largely machine-based.
Manufacturing powered the Industrial Revolution, moving work from small workshops into giant factories. The word still carries the history of hands-on craft, even in age of robots and automation.
Manufacturing has historically been framed as a male domain, especially in heavy industry, while women’s labor in factories, home‑based piecework, and supply chains was often undervalued or labeled 'unskilled.' This gendered framing influenced policy, wages, and the visibility of women’s technical expertise.
Use manufacturing as a neutral description of a process or sector, and avoid language that assumes workers, engineers, or leaders in manufacturing are male by default. When discussing workforce composition, rely on data rather than stereotypes.
["production","industrial production","fabrication","making"]
Women and girls have been central to manufacturing in textiles, electronics, food processing, and more, and women engineers and managers have shaped modern manufacturing systems even when not prominently credited.
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