What does "carib" mean?
A member of one of a number of Amerindian peoples who inhabit the coast of Central and South America and the Lesser Antilles.
Carib
/ˈkæɹɪb/ name, noun
name, noun ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A member of one of a number of Amerindian peoples who inhabit the coast of Central and South America and the Lesser Antilles.
- Grammar: carib is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: carib indian, carib person, cariban, cariban speaker.
- Useful contrasts: continental, non-Carib, nonindigenous.
- Usage evidence: Mr. Dougherty had intended to make the outing with his unwonted wife an inconspicuous one. Uxoriousness was a weakness that the precepts of the Caribs did not countenance.
How to use "carib"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "carib" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "carib" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "carib" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "carib" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "carib" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "carib indian" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "carib", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A member of one of a number of Amerindian peoples who inhabit the coast of Central and South America and the Lesser Antilles.
"Mr. Dougherty had intended to make the outing with his unwonted wife an inconspicuous one. Uxoriousness was a weakness that the precepts of the Caribs did not countenance."
- 2 A hummingbird of the genus Eulampis.
- 3 the family of languages spoken by the Carib wordnet
- 4 A member of one of a number of Amerindian peoples who inhabit the coast of Central and South America and the Lesser Antilles.; A member of the mainland or ‘proper’ Caribs (Kari'na), a Cariban people who inhabit the north coast of South America, in parts of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.
"Another people, the Surinen, lived near the coast. Like the Arawaks and the Caribs, they had migrated northward into Suriname. The Arawak and Carib peoples greatly outnumbered the Surinen. The Surinen were disappearing by the late 1400s."
- 5 a member of an American Indian peoples of northeastern South America and the Lesser Antilles wordnet
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A member of one of a number of Amerindian peoples who inhabit the coast of Central and South America and the Lesser Antilles.; A member of the Kalinago people of the Lesser Antilles, an Arawakan people who took heavy cultural influence from the mainland Caribs and so were formerly known as Island Caribs.
- 7 A member of one of a number of Amerindian peoples who inhabit the coast of Central and South America and the Lesser Antilles.; A member of the Garifuna people of Honduras, historically known as Black Caribs, descendants of mixed Kalinago people and Africans who were deported to the Central American mainland in the 18th century.
Proper Noun
- 1 Any of the languages of these people.; The Kari'na or Carib language proper, a Cariban language.
- 2 Any of the languages of these people.; The Kalinago or Island Carib language, an unrelated Arawakan language.
- 3 Any of the languages of these people.; The Garifuna language, an offshoot of Kalinago.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Mr. Dougherty had intended to make the outing with his unwonted wife an inconspicuous one. Uxoriousness was a weakness that the precepts of the Caribs did not countenance."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "carib"?
Common synonyms include: carib indian, carib person, cariban, cariban speaker, caribbean language, caribbean regional.
How do you use "carib" in a sentence?
Mr. Dougherty had intended to make the outing with his unwonted wife an inconspicuous one. Uxoriousness was a weakness that the precepts of the Caribs did not countenance.
How do you pronounce "carib"?
Pronounced /ˈkæɹɪb/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish Caribe, likely from a Kalinago term corresponding to karifuna (“Kalinago person”) in modern Kalinago, a borrowing from a Cariban language, ultimately from Proto-Cariban *karipona (“person”). Compare Kari'na karìna (“Carib person”). Doublet of cannibal, caribe, Carijona, Galibi, Garifuna, and Kari'na.