Bollywood

American

[bol-ee-wood] / ˈbɒl iˌwʊd /

noun

the motion-picture industry of India, based in Bombay.

Bollywood British

/ ˈbɒlɪˌwʊd /

noun

informal
1. the Indian film industry
2. ( as modifier )
  
  a Bollywood star

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Bollywood

Blend of Bombay and Hollywood

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Bollywood

Now, as fresh allegations and theories emerge almost daily, a question that once seemed to belong to Mumbai's past has returned: is the underworld trying to control Bollywood again?

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

The relationship between gangsters and Bollywood has changed in another way, too, in who gets to shape their image.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Bollywood actress Richa Chadha, meanwhile, offered other tips to avoid detention while filming herself drawing on her face with make-up on Sunday.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

"To me, the new cinemas have lost the charm," said Chaturvedi, a former Bollywood cinematographer who worked on hit movies during a three-decade career.

From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026

It looked like a costume for a Bollywood movie.

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023