Caribbean
Americanadjective
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of or relating to the islands or region of the Caribbean Sea, or to its inhabitants.
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of or relating to the Carib people.
noun
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the Caribbean Sea.
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the Caribbean, the islands and countries of the Caribbean Sea collectively.
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a native or inhabitant of a Caribbean country.
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a Carib.
adjective
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of, or relating to, the Caribbean Sea and its islands
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of, or relating to, the Carib or any of their languages
noun
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the states and islands of the Caribbean Sea, including the West Indies, when considered as a geopolitical region
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short for the Caribbean Sea
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a member of any of the peoples inhabiting the islands of the Caribbean Sea, such as a West Indian or a Carib
Usage
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 Word Forms
- inter-Caribbean adjective
Etymology
Origin of Caribbean
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 ( def. ); cannibal ( def. ), caribe ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Behind him stood a faux Caribbean village—painted huts, dancers in island dress, even a live donkey.
The artist is a US citizen: Puerto Rico is a Caribbean territory under US control since 1898.
From Barron's
When temperatures hit freezing, the northern jet set reliably migrates to St. Barts, a little slice of France in the Caribbean.
Delia is possessed by a ghoul who makes her sing the Caribbean number in the voice of Belafonte while she gyrates with her mortified dinner guests.
From Los Angeles Times
Since late 2025, the United States has maintained an armada of naval assets in the Caribbean, including warships, fighter jets, and thousands of military personnel.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
