adj
Common
indie
IHN-dee
Indie (adj) means Independent of major commercial studios, labels, or publishers. Example: “My cousin runs a small indie bookshop that stocks books from tiny publishers.”
adj
1
Independent of major commercial studios, labels, or publishers.
"My cousin runs a small indie bookshop that stocks books from tiny publishers."
"The indie game was made by two friends in their spare time."
"The film festival focuses on indie movies made on tiny budgets."
noun
1
A genre of guitar-based rock music associated with independent labels, or the broader indie subculture.
"Do you fancy going to see some live indie on Saturday night?"
"He wore a battered denim jacket and only ever listened to indie."
"She grew up listening to 90s indie bands on cassette tapes."
How to use indie
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMade outside the big commercial studios or labels — used for music, films, and games alike.
Common pairings
indie band
indie film
indie game developer
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Word forms
- Plural
- indies
Fill the gap
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My cousin runs a small _____ bookshop that stocks books from tiny publishers.
Etymology
A shortening of independent, with the informal -ie ending, first used of music in the 1980s and later applied to film and games.
Class of 1980
indie joined the language around 1980.
See the full Class of 1980 →
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for indie
See all rhymes for indie →Frequently asked questions
What does “indie” mean?
The word “indie” means independent of major commercial studios, labels, or publishers. In plain terms, made outside the big commercial studios or labels — used for music, films, and games alike.
How do you pronounce “indie”?
“Indie” is pronounced IHN-dee (/ˈɪndi/ in IPA).
How do you use “indie” in a sentence?
Here is “indie” used in a sentence: “The film festival focuses on indie movies made on tiny budgets.”
What part of speech is “indie”?
Depending on how it is used, “indie” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “indie” come from?
The word “indie” dates back to around 1980. A shortening of independent, with the informal -ie ending, first used of music in the 1980s and later applied to film and games.
Is “indie” a common word?
“Indie” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “indie” have?
“Indie” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: independent of major commercial studios, labels, or publishers.
What is the difference between indie and independent?
Indie is the informal short form of independent, used mainly for creative work made outside major commercial studios, labels, or publishers — indie films, indie games, indie music. Independent is the neutral, all-purpose word, while indie carries cultural associations of small-scale, alternative style.
What is the difference between indie and alternative music?
Both describe rock outside the commercial mainstream, and they overlap heavily. Indie is tied to independent record labels and the guitar-based style associated with them, while alternative is a broader umbrella term for non-mainstream rock in general, so many bands are described as both.
Does indie music have to be on an independent label?
Not any more. Indie began as a label-status term, but it now also names a genre of guitar-based rock and a broader subculture, so bands on major labels are still called indie if they have the sound and ethos. Purists, however, sometimes reserve the word for genuinely independent acts.
What makes a game or film indie?
An indie game or indie film is one made independently of major commercial publishers or studios, typically by small teams with modest budgets and full creative control. The label describes how the work is made and funded, not any single style or genre.
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