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• madras
  madras

  noun

  a light cotton fabric of various weaves, especially one in multicolored plaid or stripes, used for shirts, dresses, jackets, etc.
• Madras
  Madras

  noun

  former name of Chennai

madras

¹ American  

[mad-ruhs, muh-dras, -drahs] / ˈmæd rəs, məˈdræs, -ˈdrɑs /

noun

1. a light cotton fabric of various weaves, especially one in multicolored plaid or stripes, used for shirts, dresses, jackets, etc.

2. a thin curtain fabric of a light, gauzelike weave with figures of heavier yarns.

3. a large, brightly colored kerchief, of silk or cotton, often used for turbans.

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adjective

1. made of or resembling madras.

Madras ² American  

[muh-dras, -drahs] / məˈdræs, -ˈdrɑs /

noun

1. former name of Chennai

2. former name of Tamil Nadu.

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madras ¹ British  

/ ˈmædrəs, məˈdræs, -ˈdrɑːs /

noun

1. 1. a strong fine cotton or silk fabric, usually with a woven stripe

   2. ( as modifier )

      madras cotton

2. something made of this, esp a scarf

3. a medium-hot curry

   chicken madras

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Madras ² British  

/ məˈdrɑːs, -ˈdræs /

noun

1. the former official name of Chennai

2. the former name (until 1968) for the state of Tamil Nadu

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Etymology

Origin of madras

First recorded in 1825–35; named after Madras

Explanation

Madras is a type of cotton cloth that's patterned with a colorful plaid design. If you're headed to a preppy country club, you might want to wear your favorite madras shorts. Madras is a fabric that's commonly worn during the warmest months and can be spotted in the form of golfers' pants, men's summer jackets, and women's sundresses. This distinctive cloth is named for the place it was originally made, the Indian city once called Madras, which is known today as Chennai.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

madras Madras

Sorry, but you can’t wear white after Labor Day, and you should never wear a madras jacket with matching pants.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2022

Priming for summer found some “Real” madras shorts!

From Seattle Times ● May 17, 2022

Baldwin offers tips for choosing the perfect apples to bake with and shares her recipe for madras curry apple doughnut muffins.

From Salon ● Dec. 11, 2021

Tartan, tattersall and glen plaids evoke a refined and masculine feel, perfect for a formal living room or study, while madras has a casual association that can set the tone for a more laid-back space.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 11, 2021

Herringbones and madras and lamb’s wool and cashmere flashed past in a blur as hands and arms rent the air in a variety of graceful gestures.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

A legal bid by some residents to annul all transactions since Ravi's arrival in 2021 was rejected by the Madras High Court last year, but several other cases are ongoing.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

In 1914, shortly before leaving Madras for Cambridge, renowned Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan published a paper presenting 17 different formulas for calculating pi.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 16, 2025

Within weeks of arriving, I loathed Madras, where rats stole the padding from my earphones, the humidity left me weak and men tailed my mother in traffic, desperate to buy our imported car.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 29, 2025

Fearing further punitive action, he approached the Madras High Court last week, which ordered authorities to not take any coercive action until the next hearing on 8 October.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2025

Her walk turning into a run as the Madras Mail picked up speed.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy