indie
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.describes music, films, or businesses that are not part of a large, famous company.
adj.produced by an independent company or creator, typically characterized by a non-mainstream aesthetic or smaller budget.
Simple“She loves watching indie films at the small cinema downtown.”
In context“The developer chose to remain an indie studio to maintain full creative control over their narrative-driven project.”
UsageUsually placed before the noun it describes.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a style of rock or pop music that is often soft and uses electronic sounds.
n.a genre of alternative rock or pop music characterized by an unpolished sound and an independent ethos.
Simple“He mostly listens to indie and folk music on his commute.”
In context“While the band started in indie, their later albums adopted a more polished, radio-friendly production style.”
UsageOften used as an uncountable noun when referring to the genre.
Synonymsalternative rockAntonymspopchart music - 03 C1 Advanced
n.a person, company, or product that is independent.
n.an independent creator, publisher, or a specific work produced outside the major studio or label system.
Simple“The awards show celebrated the best indies of the year.”
In context“The rise of digital distribution platforms has allowed many indies to compete directly with established industry giants.”
Teacher's tipIn this sense, the word is a countable noun and often refers to video game developers or film producers.
SynonymsAntonyms
“Their fantastic second album, Autosmile, is their first with the venerated indie label 4AD.”
From independent, by shortening, + -ie. Used of popular music since the 1980s, and of cinema for some decades before that.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.