Definition

1. Noun:
   • A member of an American Indian people of northeastern South America and the Lesser Antilles: "Carib" refers to an individual belonging to an indigenous group native to these regions.
   • The family of languages spoken by the Carib people: "Carib" also denotes the language or group of related languages historically used by this people.

Usage Examples

• Noun (referring to a person):
  • The museum exhibit features tools and pottery made by a Carib.
  • He is descended from the Carib who originally inhabited the island.
• Noun (referring to the language):
  • Several Carib languages are still spoken today, though many are endangered.
  • The linguist is studying the grammar of Carib.

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: The term "Carib" is often used in historical and anthropological contexts to describe the pre-Columbian and early colonial period inhabitants of the Caribbean islands and adjacent mainland. The word "Caribbean" itself is derived from this ethnonym.
  • European accounts from the 15th century describe conflicts between the Carib and other indigenous groups.

Variants and Related Words

• Cariban (adjective): Pertaining to the Carib people or their languages.
  • The Cariban language family is quite diverse.
• Caribbean (adjective/noun): Relating to the Caribbean Sea, its islands, or the surrounding coasts. This is the modern geographical term derived from "Carib".
  • We went on a Caribbean cruise.

Synonyms

• Kalinago: An alternative name, often preferred by the descendants of the Carib people in some regions, such as Dominica.
  • The Kalinago Territory in Dominica preserves Carib heritage.
• Island Carib: A specific term used to distinguish the Carib populations of the Lesser Antilles from those on the South American mainland.

Noun

1. the family of languages spoken by the Carib
2. a member of an American Indian peoples of northeastern South America and the Lesser Antilles