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

See Examples For:

West Indies

It leaves this three-match series against Pakistan with a feeling of impermanence, not unlike Root's last tour as captain in the West Indies in 2022.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

Even in his penultimate Test in charge, when it was becoming clear the job was taking its toll on Root the person, he still managed to score 153 against West Indies in Barbados.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

That was when Chris Gayle, the charismatic West Indies opener who blazed a trail in the shortest format, played his last professional game, setting a mark of 14,562 runs in T20 cricket.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

Sobers made his first-class debut for Barbados aged 16 and was capped by West Indies aged 17.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

The “bridge from the primary schools” to high school, MacMillan later wrote, in a blistering critique of England’s treatment of its colonies entitled 'Warning from the West Indies, “is narrow and insecure.”

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell