barbadoes
|bar-ba-does|
🇺🇸
/bɑrˈbeɪdoʊz/
🇬🇧
/bɑːˈbeɪdəʊz/
(Barbados)
Caribbean island nation
Etymology
'barbadoes' originates from Portuguese, specifically the word 'barbados', where 'barba' meant 'beard' (i.e., 'bearded ones').
'barbados' (Portuguese) was used by early European visitors; the name appeared in English records as 'Barbadoes' in Early Modern English and later standardized in spelling to 'Barbados'.
Initially, it meant 'the bearded ones' (likely referring to trees with hanging roots or a descriptive name), but over time it became the proper name of the island nation now called 'Barbados'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an island country in the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea; 'barbadoes' is an older or variant spelling of 'Barbados'.
In the 17th century, many ships sailed to Barbadoes to trade sugar and rum.
Synonyms
Noun 2
historical form referring to the island, its people, or the colony in older English usage.
Colonial records often refer to plantation owners in Barbadoes.
Last updated: 2026/01/13 21:18