adjective
Uncommon
Indy
IHN-dee
Indy (adjective) means Independent, especially not affiliated with a major company or organization; often used of music, films, or games. Example: “She prefers indy bands to anything on the radio.”
adjective
1
Independent, especially not affiliated with a major company or organization; often used of music, films, or games.
"She prefers indy bands to anything on the radio."
noun
1
An informal short form of "Indianapolis" or the Indianapolis 500 race.
"He's flying into Indy for the weekend."
How to use Indy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither short for Indianapolis, or a casual spelling of "indie" meaning independent.
UK vs US
The "independent" sense is far more commonly spelled "indie" in everyday use.
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Word forms
- Plural
- indies, indys
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She prefers _____ bands to anything on the radio.
Etymology
A shortening of "Indianapolis" and of "independent" plus -y.
Rhymes for Indy
See all rhymes for Indy →Frequently asked questions
What does “Indy” mean?
The word “Indy” means independent, especially not affiliated with a major company or organization; often used of music, films, or games. In plain terms, either short for Indianapolis, or a casual spelling of "indie" meaning independent.
How do you pronounce “Indy”?
“Indy” is pronounced IHN-dee (/ˈɪndi/ in IPA).
How do you use “Indy” in a sentence?
Here is “Indy” used in a sentence: “She prefers indy bands to anything on the radio.”
What part of speech is “Indy”?
Depending on how it is used, “Indy” can be an adjective and a noun.
Is “Indy” a common word?
“Indy” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Indy” have?
“Indy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: independent, especially not affiliated with a major company or organization; often used of music, films, or games.
What does "indy" mean when describing music, films, or games?
As an adjective, "indy" (more commonly spelled "indie") describes something independent, especially not affiliated with a major company or organization, such as an indy film studio or an indy game developer. It signals creative or financial independence from large corporate backers.
What is the difference between "indy" and "Indy" referring to Indianapolis?
The lowercase adjective "indy" describes independence from major organizations, while the capitalized noun "Indy" is an informal short form of "Indianapolis" or the Indianapolis 500 race. Context and capitalization usually make clear which meaning is intended.
Is "indy" a common way to spell "indie"?
The spelling "indie" is far more common for the "independent" sense in music and film, while "Indy" is the standard spelling when referring to Indianapolis or its famous race. Using "indy" for the independence sense is less standard but does occur informally.
