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

This year that number of attendees is expected to have been even bigger, with the likes of Xbox and Sega showcasing games to the public alongside indie studios with only one or two developers.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

But they felt like an odd nu-disco inclusion in a lineup peppered with indie rock bands.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

Music publications like Stereogum and Pitchfork have switched to a paid supporter model while fostering their communities of indie music obsessives in robust — and, in Pitchfork’s case, brand new — comment sections.

From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026

“We want to be that indie band who never sells out,” Otterman said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

His wardrobe consists primarily of T-shirts from indie coffee shops around the city, and he gave me this Dream & Bean shirt last night when he came over for dinner.

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Sharp indies such as Sabar Bonda and Songs of Forgotten Trees dug into complex social and political layers and told sensitive stories of relationships.

From BBC ● Jan. 2, 2026

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

Of the 28 projects, 18 are indie films with budgets of $10 million or less, five are indies with budgets of more than $10 million and five are non-independent feature films.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 17, 2025

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2025

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

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