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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Its music video, featuring cameos from Singh and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, has amassed over 130 million YouTube views and 1.5 billion TikTok views. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 July 2025 Nollywood is currently recognized as the second-largest film industry in the world in terms of volume, after Bollywood, but stories from the region have long been underrepresented on global platforms. Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 24 July 2025 Indian fashion is having a striking impact on red carpets worldwide — and not only on the backs of Bollywood stars. Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 24 July 2025 After breaking records in advance bookings, the Bollywood film managed to score a whopping $2.5 million in India alone and the opening global gross stood at $3.3 million. Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 23 July 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 29 Jul. 2025.

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