Barbados

American  

[bahr-bey-dohs, -dohz, -duhs] / bɑrˈbeɪ doʊs, -doʊz, -dəs /

noun

1. an island in the E West Indies constituting an independent state in the Commonwealth of Nations: formerly a British colony. 166 sq. mi. (430 sq. km). Bridgetown.

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Barbados British  

/ bɑːˈbeɪdəʊs, -dɒs, -dəʊz /

noun

1. an island in the Caribbean, in the E Lesser Antilles: a British colony from 1628 to 1966, now an independent state within the Commonwealth. Language: English. Currency: Barbados dollar. Capital: Bridgetown. Pop: 288 725 (2013 est). Area: 430 sq km (166 sq miles)

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Barbados Cultural  

1. Island republic in the easternmost West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean about three hundred miles north of Venezuela.

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Discover More

Barbados is a member of the British Commonwealth and a popular resort area.

Other Word Forms

• Barbadian
  adjective

Example Sentences

Plantation slavery was perfected in the West Indies, notably on the sugar islands of British Barbados and present-day Haiti, where the system proved immensely profitable.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

It reflected a man with bleached blonde curls who left home in Barbados as a teenager to pursue his dreams in England.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

Proctor subsequently took flights to Trinidad and also Barbados, another Caribbean island, and returned stateside without incident three more times between December 2024 and September 2025, according to his wife’s declaration.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026

Born in Barbados, Bethell became England's youngest captain at 21 years and 329 days when he led the T20 team in Ireland, last September.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

Sometimes, driven by her restlessness, 6he would talk about Barbados to Mercy.

From "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare