West Indies: Meaning and Definition of

West' In'dies

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. Also calledan archipelago in the N Atlantic between North and South America, comprising the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles, and the Bahamas.
  2. Also calleda former federation (1958–62) of the British islands in the Caribbean, comprising Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad, Tobago, and the Windward and Leeward island colonies.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.