West Indies
Americannoun
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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.
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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
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It is a popular resort area.
Several of the islands were discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492.
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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.
After a fine all-round bowling performance restricted West Indies to 128-7, Orla Prendergast led Ireland's chase with a stunning 63 from 44 balls.
From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026
Ireland earned their first win at a Women's T20 World Cup with a surprise victory over semi-final hopefuls West Indies at Bristol.
From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026
This score was worth as many given the step up in opposition – West Indies knocked England out of the last T20 World Cup, remember – and the state of the pitch.
From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026
West Indies are back in action on Sunday against Sri Lanka in Bristol.
From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026
As a result, ships built and manned in Spain itself were able to sail to the West Indies; there was nothing equivalent to the Greenland bottleneck that had throttled Norse colonization.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
