Caribbean

American  

[kar-uh-bee-uhn, kuh-rib-ee-] / ˌkær əˈbi ən, kəˈrɪb i- /

adjective

1. of or relating to the islands or region of the Caribbean Sea, or to its inhabitants.

2. of or relating to the Carib people.

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noun

1. the Caribbean Sea.

2. the Caribbean, the islands and countries of the Caribbean Sea collectively.

3. a native or inhabitant of a Caribbean country.

4. a Carib.

Caribbean British  

/ kəˈrɪbɪən, ˌkærɪˈbiːən /

adjective

1. of, or relating to, the Caribbean Sea and its islands

2. of, or relating to, the Carib or any of their languages

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noun

1. the states and islands of the Caribbean Sea, including the West Indies, when considered as a geopolitical region

2. short for the Caribbean Sea

3. 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

For decades, González and his wife, Mercedes Cruz, have run a popular weekly dance night in a historic social hall in one of Havana’s oldest neighborhoods, a few blocks from the Caribbean Sea.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

Tree sloths once lived in the Caribbean but disappeared after humans arrived.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

Photos circulated of Malpica toasting his appointments with bottles of Dom Pérignon at a nightclub on the luxurious Caribbean island of Saint Barthélemy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

Two boats filled with humanitarian supplies travelling from Mexico to Cuba have been located days after contact with them was lost in the Caribbean, organisers say.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

“Let’s have the raffle drawing! We’re giving away an all-expenses-paid weekend getaway to the Caribbean for two!”

From "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora" by Pablo Cartaya