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.
"A great innings has come to an end. In our hearts, now and forever, Sir Garfield Sobers," Cricket West Indies said.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
A national hero of Barbados, he was a legend in the West Indies on the back of a Test career that spanned 20 years, and was knighted soon after his retirement.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Three years later, Shantha Rangaswamy of Bengaluru captained India in their first officially recognised international series, a six-Test contest against West Indies.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Legendary figures Sir Garfield Sobers of West Indies and South Africa's Jacques Kallis are the only two men to have achieved a comparable double.
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
We’ll sail south to the Canaries, then west to the West Indies, and then north to Virginia.
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
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.
