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

Sometimes real life can be the realest indie movie of all.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026

Thai indie band Thotsakan was performing at a packed bar in Bangkok on Sunday when band manager Ice Athipat Wijarn, seated off stage, saw smoke emerging from behind the keyboardist.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

He was there to present the legend award to Manchester indie heroes James - best known for songs like Sit Down, Laid, Out To Get You and Sometimes.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

“As the business boom accelerated,” Mr. Schatz writes, “the studios’ tentpole mentality intensified, and the indie movement spread to the mainstream.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 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

“For indies like mine, we’re at the mercy of available light,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2025

After his star-making performance in 2023’s “Hunger Games” prequel, Tom Blythe takes a welcome step back to the indies in “Plainclothes,” though one that’s just as filled with visual spectacle.

From Salon ● Feb. 6, 2025

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

From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2024

Water several indies deep swirled around us, but was not tugging at us.

From "The Cay" by Theodore Taylor