Bahamas

[ buh-hah-muhz, -hey- ]

noun
  1. (used with a plural verb) a group of islands in the W Atlantic Ocean, SE of Florida.

  2. (used with a singular verb) an independent country comprising this group: formerly a British colony; gained independence 1973. 4,404 sq. mi. (11,406 sq. km). Capital: Nassau.

  • Also called Bahama Islands.

Other words from Bahamas

  • Ba·ha·mi·an [buh-hey-mee-uhn, -hah-], /bəˈheɪ mi ən, -ˈhɑ-/, noun, adjective

Words Nearby Bahamas

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

How to use Bahamas in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for Bahamas

Bahamas

Bahama Islands

/ (bəˈhɑːməz) /


pl n
  1. the Bahamas a group of over 700 coral islands (about 20 of which are inhabited) in the Caribbean: a British colony from 1783 until 1964; an independent nation within the Commonwealth from 1973. Language: English. Currency: Bahamian dollar. Capital: Nassau. Pop: 319 031 (2013 est). Area: 13 939 sq km (5381 sq miles)

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

Cultural definitions for Bahamas

Bahamas

[ (buh-hah-muhz) ]


Republic in the Atlantic Ocean, consisting of 700 islands and islets and 2,400 smaller islands, called cays.

Notes for Bahamas

The Bahamas were under the control of Britain until 1973, when they became an independent, self-governing state.

Notes for Bahamas

The Bahamas are a popular winter resort.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.