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
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. ); see also 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.
It was the third complete blackout on the Caribbean island since early July and the fifth since the start of 2026.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
The new game, much like the original, offers a wide variety of activities ranging from swashbuckling and boarding ships to exploring the islands of the Caribbean.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
Each week thousands of footballers, many Latin or Caribbean migrants, flock to the astroturf pitches that serve the Crown Heights area, which has few other options.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
Conversely, El Niño typically brings drier conditions to the Pacific Northwest, as well as Central America, northern South America, the Caribbean, Australia, Indonesia, and parts of southern Asia, experts said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
But except for that, the place looked like a Caribbean postcard.
From "The Sea of Monsters" by Rick Riordan
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.
