the Spanish Main
/ðə ˌspænɪʃ ˈmeɪn/
/ðə ˌspænɪʃ ˈmeɪn/
- a former name for the Caribbean Sea and the north-east coast of South America. In the 16th and 17th centuries many Spanish ships sailed through this area, carrying gold back to Spain. They were often attacked by pirates and there are many stories and films about the adventures that people had there in this period.