# Jamaican

/dʒəˈmeɪkən/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/jamaican
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. a person

noun · CEFR A2

a person who comes from Jamaica or has Jamaican parents.

For teachers: a person who is a citizen of Jamaica or of Jamaican descent.

- My neighbour is a Jamaican who moved to London ten years ago.
- The festival celebrated the achievements of famous Jamaicans in the fields of athletics, music, and literature.

### 2. the language

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

the way people speak in Jamaica, especially Jamaican Patois or Jamaican English.

For teachers: the linguistic varieties spoken in Jamaica, typically referring to Jamaican Patois (Creole) or the local dialect of English.

- He spoke Jamaican so quickly that I had trouble understanding the slang.
- While the official language is English, many residents switch fluently into Jamaican when speaking with friends and family.

### 3. related to Jamaica

adjective · CEFR A2

coming from or belonging to Jamaica.

For teachers: relating to or characteristic of the island of Jamaica, its people, or its culture.

- We went to a great Jamaican restaurant and had spicy jerk chicken.
- The athlete proudly waved the Jamaican flag after winning the gold medal in the hundred-metre sprint.

## Examples

- My neighbor is a Jamaican who moved here last year.
- The festival was organized by a local Jamaican who wanted to share his culture with the neighborhood.
- As a proud Jamaican, she spent her career documenting the oral histories of the island's rural communities to ensure their traditions were preserved for future generations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.