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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Seemingly spurred on by a recent Bollywood movie’s portrayal of Aurangzeb’s violent conquests against a revered Hindu king, the violence led to dozens of injuries and arrests, prompting Nagpur authorities to impose a curfew. Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 18 Apr. 2025 Kalyan, the Deputy Chief Minister of India’s state Andhra Pradesh since June 2024, garnered a massive fanbase in Indian cinema, headlining several Bollywood hits since his big-screen breakout in the late 1990s. Jack Smart, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025 And that just doesn’t happen in India or Bollywood as progressive as it’s gotten. Reneysh Vittal, Them., 4 Apr. 2025 The film featured Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan in a pivotal role as the ice candy man. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 Apr. 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 25 Apr. 2025.

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