Calcutta

American  

[kal-kuht-uh] / kælˈkʌt ə /

noun

1. former name of Kolkata (but sometimes still used).

2. Also called Calcutta pool.  (sometimes lowercase) a form of betting pool for a competition or tournament, as golf or auto racing, in which gamblers bid for participating contestants in an auction, the proceeds from which are put into a pool for distribution, according to a prearranged scale of percentages, to those who selected winners.

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Calcutta British  

/ kælˈkʌtə /

noun

1. the former official name (still widely used) of Kolkata

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Calcutta Cultural  

1. Largest city in India, located in the eastern part of the country on the Hooghly River.

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Calcutta is one of the largest cities in the world and suffers from poverty, overcrowding, and unemployment.

Example Sentences

In response, Indian elites established institutions of their own, including the Calcutta Club in 1907, which admitted both Indians and Europeans and became a rare experiment in shared membership before independence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 10, 2026

Their route to deliver the plane in Wales included stops in Calcutta, Muscat and Cairo.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

At one point, Russell, who has had plenty of Calcutta Cup run-ins with Farrell, aimed a gesture at the visitors suggesting they continue 'crying' over a penalty decision.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

"It is always tough backing up an emotional performance like a Calcutta Cup game," said Tuipulotu, with Scotland yet to finish higher than third in the Six Nations era.

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

My father, who worked as a clerk at the General Post Office of Calcutta, died of encephalitis when I was sixteen.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri