Jamaican

American

[juh-mey-kuhn] / dʒəˈmeɪ kən /

adjective

of or relating to the island of Jamaica or its inhabitants.

noun

a native or inhabitant of Jamaica.

jamaican British

/ dʒəˈmeɪkən /

adjective

of or relating to Jamaica or its inhabitants

"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

noun

a native or inhabitant of Jamaica

"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

Etymology

Origin of Jamaican

First recorded in 1685–95; Jamaic(a) + -an

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.

The trio, joined by the prolific vocalist, navigates a variety of genres—including jazz, funk, and Jamaican dub—on a record that transcends any one style.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Ten players from Jamaican side Mount Pleasant have been denied a visa to enter the United States for Wednesday's Concacaf Champions Cup tie against LA Galaxy.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

He is one of its greatest cultural coalitionists, fusing Pan-American sounds — hip-hop, Jamaican reggae, Haitian kompa, gospel, salsa, folk — into music that is party-ready and politically alert.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, said she empathized with the Cuban people but took issue with her Jamaican counterpart's remarks.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

Next to Mom, Zion and Zarra’s mom waves a Jamaican flag.

From "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023