Caribbean

[ kar-uh-bee-uhn, kuh-rib-ee- ]

adjective
  1. of or relating to the islands or region of the Caribbean Sea, or to its inhabitants.

  2. of or relating to the Carib people.

noun
  1. the Caribbean, the islands and countries of the Caribbean Sea collectively.

  1. a native or inhabitant of a Caribbean country.

  2. a Carib.

Origin of Caribbean

1
First recorded in 1650–60; from New Latin Carib(b)aeus, adjective formed from New Latin plural noun Caribes, from Spanish and Portuguese singular noun caribe Carib; see also cannibal, caribe

usage note For Caribbean

Caribbean is used as a plural noun (a candidate favored by Caribbeans ), but it's relatively rare as a singular noun (the candidate who is a Caribbean ).

Other words from Caribbean

  • in·ter-Car·ib·be·an, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for Caribbean

Caribbean

/ (ˌkærɪˈbiːən, US kəˈrɪbɪən) /


adjective
  1. of, or relating to, the Caribbean Sea and its islands

  2. of, or relating to, the Carib or any of their languages

noun
  1. the Caribbean the states and islands of the Caribbean Sea, including the West Indies, when considered as a geopolitical region

  2. short for the Caribbean Sea

  1. a member of any of the peoples inhabiting the islands of the Caribbean Sea, such as a West Indian or a Carib

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012