"of or pertaining to the Caribs," also "of the sea between the West Indies and the South American mainland," by 1750s, from Carib, indigenous people's name for themselves, + -ean.
Entries linking to caribbean
Carib n.
"one of a native people of Central America and northern South America and formerly of the Caribbean," 1550s, from Spanish Caribe, from Arawakan (West Indies) kalingo, karina, or kalino, said to mean "brave ones" or else "strong men." As an adjective by 1881.
-ean
variant of -an after names ending in -ea, -es, -eus.