West Indies

American  

noun

1. Also called the Indies.  (used with a plural verb) an archipelago in the northern Atlantic between North and South America, comprising the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles, and the Bahamas.

2. Also called West Indies Federation.  (used with a singular verb) Federation of the West Indies. a former federation (1958–62) of the British islands in the Caribbean, comprising Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad, Tobago, and the Windward and Leeward island colonies.

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West Indies British  

/ ˈɪndɪz /

noun

1. Also called: the Caribbean.  an archipelago off Central America, extending over 2400 km (1500 miles) in an arc from the peninsula of Florida to Venezuela, separating the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean: consists of the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles, and the Bahamas; largest island is Cuba. Area: over 235 000 sq km (91 000 sq miles)

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West Indies Cultural  

1. Archipelago between North America and South America curving from southern Florida to Venezuela.

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Discover More

It is a popular resort area.

Several of the islands were discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492.

Other Word Forms

• West Indian
  adjective

Example Sentences

His father's family hail from Grenada and it was a trip to the Caribbean in 2007, around the time West Indies hosted the World Cup, that sparked Gay's love of cricket.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

The U.S. formally recognized Danish sovereignty in 1916 as a condition for its purchase of the Danish West Indies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

In all, millions of African captives were shipped to the West Indies and Brazil, many times the number taken to British North America.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

West Indies have been stuck in Kolkata since they were eliminated from the tournament on 1 March amid travel disruption caused by the conflict across the Middle East.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

“Think of it. Dr. Rush has seen two or three epidemics in his life. The French doctors came from the West Indies, where they treat yellow fever every year. Surely their experience is more valuable.”

From "Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson