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West Indian

British  

adjective

  1. of or relating to the West Indies, its inhabitants, or their language or culture

  2. native to or derived from the West Indies

"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

  1. a native or inhabitant of the West Indies

  2. a person of West Indian descent

"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

Usage

Using West Indian to refer to people of this ancestry living in Britain may cause offence. Possible alternatives are Black and Afro-Caribbean

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.

In “Malcolm X,” Lindo squared off with Denzel Washington’s protagonist as a Harlem hustler named West Indian Archie.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

Nothing beats watching a West Indian when they get going.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

"The batting was pretty decent," said West Indian captain Shai Hope.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

In his collection of five films, his most personal works to date, the director honors his family and his West Indian community in London.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 24, 2024

West Indian Archie’s known to be the meanest, most powerful numbers runner in the racket.

From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz