Definitions for Jamaica
dʒəˈmeɪ kəJa·maica

Princeton's WordNet(2.50 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Jamaicanoun

   a country on the island of Jamaica; became independent of England in 1962; much poverty; the major industry is tourism

2. Jamaicanoun

   an island in the West Indies to the south of Cuba and to the west of Haiti

Wiktionary(4.00 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. jamaicanoun

   roselle

2. Etymology: Originally Jameco, from (Lenape) word for “beaver”. Compare previous etymology.

Webster Dictionary(2.50 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Jamaicanoun

   one of the West India is islands

Freebase(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Jamaica

   Jamaica is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea, comprising the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles. The island, 10,990 square kilometres in area, lies about 145 kilometres south of Cuba, and 191 kilometres west of Hispaniola, the island containing the nation-states of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Jamaica is the fifth-largest island country in the Caribbean. The indigenous people, the Taíno, called it Xaymaca in Arawakan. meaning the "Land of Wood and Water" or the "Land of Springs". Once a Spanish possession known as Santiago, in 1655 it came under the rule of England, and was called Jamaica. It achieved full independence from the United Kingdom on 6 August 1962. With 2.8 million people, it is the third most populous Anglophone country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada. Kingston is the country's largest city and its capital, with a population of 937,700. Jamaica has a large diaspora around the world, due to emigration from the country. Jamaica is a Commonwealth realm with Elizabeth II as Queen of Jamaica and head of state. Her appointed representative in the country is the Governor-General of Jamaica, currently Sir Patrick Allen. The head of government and Prime Minister of Jamaica is Portia Simpson-Miller. Jamaica is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with legislative power vested in the bicameral Parliament of Jamaica, consisting of an appointed Senate and a directly elected House of Representatives.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia(5.00 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Jamaica

   ("Land of Springs") (640, of which 15 are whites), a British crown colony, the largest and most important of the British West India Islands; is one of the Greater Antilles group, and lies some 90 m. S. of the eastern end of Cuba; its greatest length E. and W. 144 m.; is traversed by the Blue Mountains (7400 ft.), whose slopes are clad with luxuriant forests of mahogany, cedar, satin-wood, palm, and other trees; of the numerous rivers, only one, the Black River, is navigable and that for only flat-bottomed boats and canoes; there are many harbours (Kingston finest), while good roads intersect the island; the climate is oppressively warm and somewhat unhealthy on the coast, but delightful in the interior highlands; for administrative purposes the land area is divided into three counties, Surrey, Middlesex, and Cornwall; the chief trade-products are dye-woods, fruit, sugar, rum, coffee, and spices; discovered in 1494 by Columbus, and since 1670 a possession of England.

U.S. National Library of Medicine(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Jamaica

   An island in the Greater Antilles in the West Indies. Its capital is Kingston. It was discovered in 1494 by Columbus and was a Spanish colony 1509-1655 until captured by the English. Its flourishing slave trade was abolished in the 19th century. It was a British colony 1655-1958 and a territory of the West Indies Federation 1958-62. It achieved full independence in 1962. The name is from the Arawak Xaymaca, rich in springs or land of springs. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p564 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p267)

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. jamaica

   One of the West India Islands, or Greater Antilles, which belongs to Great Britain, and forms the most considerable and valuable of its possessions in that quarter. It was discovered by Columbus in 1494, and colonized by the Spaniards in the early part of the 16th century. In 1655 it was taken by the English, when 3000 British soldiers who had served in the Parliamentary army settled there. In 1866 a revolt of a large portion of the negro population took place, which was promptly suppressed.

Rap Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. jamaica

   The Caribbean nation of Jamaica.

2. jamaica

   The neighborhood of Jamaica, Queens, New York City. A Tribe Called Quest, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Ja Rule are all from Jamaica, Queens.

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. jamaica

   Song lyrics by jamaica -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by jamaica on the Lyrics.com website.

Etymology and Origins(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Jamaica

   From the West Indian Caymaca, signifying “a country abounding in springs.”

Matched Categories

1. • Greater Antilles
   • Jamaica
   • Country
   • Island

How to pronounce Jamaica?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say Jamaica in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Jamaica in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Jamaica in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of Jamaica in a Sentence

1. RAS CARDO REGGAE:

   listen! trench town was a healing sanctuary for many a wandering souls in kingston jamaica. I am here now to make sure that this crucial part of our history/my history will be permanently enshrined with us legends and be so protected. No one else can do it.

2. RAS CARDO REGGAE:

   my reggae was created to teach the message of truth to the people , especially the youths. Jamaican youths and others all over the world face a most daunting and doubting future because they will not know the true history from which they came. Black people have been mis -educated for years. How many black youths today in america know about the 1811-slave revolt in the louisiana -manchar swamp? how many knew that -christopher columbus- did not discover america? how many youths in jamaica knew that columbus did not discover jamaica? and what about the slave rebellion in morant bay? if we lose our history, we lose ourselves and identity as a people. My reggae teaches the people.

3. RAS CARDO REGGAE:

   believe it or not-my research over the years has shown just how much-the smoking of weed-in places like jamaica can unite even the most hateful of whites and blacks. I have seen known white supremacists in america mingling with blacks in jamaica smoking weed.but when they are back in america its a different story. I mean even white racists cops in america. jamaica provides-safe haven- for them all. so, I ask why the change when back in america? my research continues for the real answer. let's discuss this!

4. Elizabeth Frantz -RRB- Sears:

   I think I am a visible success story that says to people, ‘You can do it. You will do it. No matter your gender, no matter your color, even no matter where you were born.’ Because here I am, this is not my country, not my culture. I came from Jamaica and here, I have made it.

5. Prince Charles:

   I would imagine this issue will now sharpen the debate within Jamaica, as well as elsewhere in the Caribbean.

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