West Indies
Americannoun
-
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.
-
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.
noun
Discover More
It is a popular resort area.
Several of the islands were discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492.
Other Word Forms
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 the West Indies, these can be inflated by the cost of flying West Indies and visiting players between islands.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
In March, a women's Test that West Indies were due to host against Australia was cancelled, though the white-ball element of that tour went ahead.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
They have not played West Indies in a women's Test since 1979, while West Indies have not played a Test against anyone since a trip to Pakistan in 2004.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
The programme includes meetings with cricketing legends in Antigua and Barbuda, where the West Indies team is based, and meeting conservationists responsible for Guyana's rain forest.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Finally, around 1778, he was allowed to sail to the West Indies.
From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen
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.
