# What is the etymology of an industrial process being called a "plant" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 24, 2019, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-etymology-of-an-industrial-process-being-called-a-plant/840748 "2019-09-24T11:36:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2019, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-etymology-of-an-industrial-process-being-called-a-plant/840748/21 "2019-09-27T00:44:40Z")
> [@casdave](#): > > The word ‘factory’ itself is the shortened word for ‘manufactury’ which you can see on older maps “Factory” as a building for the manucture or processing of goods is older than “manufactory”, and so is not an abbreviation. “Manufactory” first occurs in 1640 and was probably coined to avoid ambiguity; at that time “factory” had more than one established sense; as well as the “building where goods are made/processed” sense it also meant “establishment for traders carrying on business; trading place; trading post”. The East India company had “factories” at various places in India; the officials staffing them there were known as “factors”, a word for a person who acted as agent for a trading company. As “factory” in the sense of “trading post” became obsolete, the need for “manufactory” to distinguish the sense of “place of manufacture” declined and so that word too became obsolete. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2019, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-etymology-of-an-industrial-process-being-called-a-plant/840748/22 "2019-09-27T01:41:41Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Basically, “stuck in the ground” vs. “free spirit.” Now, how about “fungus”? A fungus is neither a stick-in-the-mud nor a free spirit. It’s just a fun guy. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2019, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-etymology-of-an-industrial-process-being-called-a-plant/840748/23 "2019-09-27T06:35:39Z")
I looked up what Mrs Piozzi really said, because I was sure she must have said something more about the origin of the word, and indeed she did. From the Gutenberg edition of [Observations and Reflections Made in the Course of a Journey through France, Italy, and Germany](http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16445): > [@](#): > > That every thing useful, and every thing ornamental, first revived in Italy, is well known; … but this place has afforded me an opportunity of discovering what the people meant, who called a large portion of ground in Southwark some years ago a _plant_, above all things. The ground was destined to the purposes of extensive commerce, but the appellation of a plant gave me much disturbance, from my inability to fathom the meaning of it. I have here found out, that the Lombards call many things a _plant_; and say of their cities, palaces, &c. in familiar discourse—_che la pianta è buona, la pianta è cattiva_ [The plant is a good or a bad one], &c. > > Thus do words which carry a forcible expression in one language, appear ridiculous enough in another, till the true derivation is known. She then goes on to talk about the adoption and origin of another Lombard word, ‘bankrupt’ from _bancarotta_, and mentions that the place where Lombard bankers settled in London is still called Lombard Street. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2019, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-etymology-of-an-industrial-process-being-called-a-plant/840748/24 "2019-09-27T18:17:10Z")
That specific usage about the _pianta_ being good or bad exists in Spanish as well, IIUIC, in the sense that a well-built place, process or even person is said to have _buena planta_. A related verb, _plantear_ (different from _plantar_, “to plant” and from planear or planificar, “to plan”), refers to choosing the methodology to use in solving a problem or complex situation; thus, a battle will be both _planteada_ (the main strategy chosen) and _planeada_ (the details of the strategy filled up). ---
**Author:** ![ZurBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/71e660/32.png) [@ZurBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZurBob)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2019, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-etymology-of-an-industrial-process-being-called-a-plant/840748/25 "2019-09-27T19:34:40Z")
Sounds like the origin of an industrial facility being equated to a “plant” (in English speaking countries at least) must have its beginning in Italy-Spain. Thanks all! ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2019, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-etymology-of-an-industrial-process-being-called-a-plant/840748/26 "2019-09-28T04:22:02Z")
I’m not able to come up with much in the way of citation right now, but I think it’s related to some sort of 18th century capitalist or accounting language that refers to the means of production as “fixed plant” or, in the terms of utilities, the “outside plant.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-etymology-of-an-industrial-process-being-called-a-plant/840748.md?page=1)