Jamaica
pronunciation
How to pronounce Jamaica in British English: UK [dʒəˈmeɪkə]
How to pronounce Jamaica in American English: US [dʒəˈmeɪkə]
-
- Noun:
- a country on the island of Jamaica; became independent of England in 1962; much poverty; the major industry is tourism
- an island in the West Indies south of Cuba and west of Haiti
Word Origin
- Jamaica
- West Indian island, from Taino (Arawakan) xaymaca, said to mean "rich in springs." Columbus when he found it in 1494 named it Santiago, but this did not stick. Related: Jamaican. The Jamaica in New York probably is a Delaware (Algonquian) word meaning "beaver pond" altered by influence of the island name.
Example
- 1. Jamaica has reasons for its plodding growth of late .
- 2. Jamaica would be its third caribbean market .
- 3. Jamaica is due a spurt of growth .
- 4. He also adored jamaica kincaid and jeanette winterson .
- 5. He picked jamaica because malnutrition is endemic there .