indie

American  

[in-dee] / ˈɪn di /

noun

indies plural

1. an independently or privately owned business, especially a film or music company that is not affiliated with a larger and more commercial company.

   to work for an indie.

2. a movie or other work produced by such a company.

3. a genre of music, especially pop or rock, that is independently produced.

4. a person who works for an independently owned business or is self-employed.

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adjective

1. noting or relating to an indie.

   an indie film producer;

   an indie video game.

2. noting or relating to independently produced music.

   indie rock;

   an indie pop group.

indie British  

/ ˈɪndɪ /

noun

1. informal

   1. an independent film or record company

   2. ( as modifier )

      an indie producer

      the indie charts

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• indies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of indie

First recorded in 1940–45; ind(ependent) + -ie

Explanation

An indie band makes music on their own or on a very small record company, not with a large recording label. Your favorite indie group probably makes most of its money from touring, rather than by selling its music online. Pop musicians who record songs independently of major labels are indie, and indie filmmakers work with small budgets and unknown actors, rather than large, well-funded film companies. The adjective is also sometimes used simply to mean "simple," "not commercial," or "outside of the mainstream." Indie, a shortened form of independent, has been around since about 1920, originally referring to movies, and by 1945 it was also used for music labels.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

indie indies

Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard, best known for starring in the 2007 indie darling “Once” and winning an Oscar for “Falling Slowly,” the film’s original song along with co-star Markéta Irglová, has died.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

Wilde found further inspiration in Araki’s own fortitude, his steadfastness to his ideals and how it sets him apart from many other filmmakers who parlayed early indie cred into payday careerism.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

That album, simply titled Muna, was eventually released by indie star Phoebe Bridgers, who swooped in to sign the band to her Saddest Factory label in 2021.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

Over the group's career, their music has been described as new wave, sophisti-pop, jangle pop, indie pop, and post-punk.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

In the bleak indie movies, they don’t get the happy ending; they get a tragedy.

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed

Bismarck residents can see all kinds of films here: blockbusters, indies, repertory classics and even the occasional work of local cinema.

From Salon ● Dec. 18, 2025

Watts tried to make it in American indies, audition after audition leading nowhere.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2025

It’s hard to know exactly what to expect from a director who moves between different genres, from poetic indies like “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints” to big-budget fantasies like “Peter Pan & Wendy.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 1, 2025

"There's been so many great indies this year," she says.

From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2024

It seemed to Tyrion that the lad had grown three indies since being knighted.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin