Bollywood

noun

Bol·​ly·​wood ˈbä-lē-ˌwu̇d How to pronounce Bollywood (audio)
: the movie industry in India

Examples of Bollywood in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The musical reimagines the beloved 1995 Bollywood film that has played continuously in Mumbai since its release, aiming to bridge cultural divides through its storytelling and collaborative artistic approach, including joint choreography by Ashford and Indian dance specialist Shruti Merchant. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025 Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone Farah Khan’s tribute to Bollywood classics of the ’70s begins with a lovelorn background extra (the incomparable Shah Rukh Khan) losing his crush (Deepika Padukone) in a fire and then his life in a car crash. Charles Bramesco, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2025 When the scammer continues to ask for her Social Security number, the TikToker continues trolling, asking him to sing a Bollywood song. David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025 Netflix has revealed its Indian content slate yet for 2025, spanning over 25 titles across films, series, and unscripted programming, featuring major Bollywood stars and marking several significant debuts. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Bollywood

Word History

Etymology

Bombay (Mumbai), traditional center of the Indian film industry + Hollywood

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Bollywood was in 1969

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Cite this Entry

“Bollywood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Bollywood. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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