name
Indies
IHN-deez
name
1
The East Indies, referring to India, Southeast Asia, and the surrounding islands.
"European traders once sailed for months to reach the Indies."
2
The West Indies, the islands of the Caribbean.
"They sailed a cruise through the Indies, stopping at several Caribbean islands."
How to Use Indies
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA historical term for either the East Indies (South/Southeast Asia) or the West Indies (the Caribbean).
Word Forms
the Indies plural
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European traders once sailed for months to reach the _____.
Etymology
From Latin India, historically applied broadly to regions east and west that early European explorers associated with India.