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Glite Dictionary
Lesser Antilles

Lesser Antilles

6.1
A chain of islands in the southeastern West Indies that form the eastern edge of the Caribbean Sea
  • proper noun
translation icon : Antillas Menores
  • Many tourists visit the Lesser Antilles for their beautiful beaches and vibrant culture.
  • Lesser Antilles chain

Examples

  • Hurricanes frequently pass through the Lesser Antilles during the storm season.

  • The Lesser Antilles are known for their beautiful beaches.

  • The Lesser Antilles form a natural border between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

  • Have you ever visited the Lesser Antilles?

  • Dominica is a 290-square-mile island in the middle of the Lesser Antilles chain.

  • The Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands are part of the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean Sea.

  • The Lesser Antilles includes several beautiful islands, each with unique cultures and landscapes.

Surface Forms

Lesser Antilles main

Morphology

lesser + Antilles

The place name is compositional: 'lesser' (smaller/lesser in size or significance) directly modifies 'Antilles' (an island group), so the phrase denotes the smaller subgroup of the Antilles. This modifier+noun pattern is straightforward and mirrored in other languages (e.g., Lesser/Greater island distinctions), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Lesser Antilles gets its name from old sailors and mapmakers. One popular story says 'Antilles' came from a made-up island called 'Antilia' on old maps, and the word Lesser was used to show these are the smaller islands next to the Greater Antilles, so the name now means the chain of smaller islands that form the eastern edge of the Caribbean Sea.