Carnatic

American

[kahr-nat-ik] / kɑrˈnæt ɪk /

noun

a historically important region on the SE coast of India: now in Madras state.

Carnatic British

/ kɑːˈnætɪk /

noun

a region of S India, between the Eastern Ghats and the Coromandel Coast: originally the country of the Kanarese; historically important as a rich and powerful trading centre; now part of Tamil Nadu state

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The technique is used in South Indian Carnatic - or classical - music, and involves repeating certain syllables and phrases to create a drum-like sound.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

An accomplished player in the world of Carnatic music, a style of South Indian classical, Rajagopalan was invited to join the revived ‘70s band featuring progressive jazz guitar great John McLaughlin. “

From Seattle Times • Feb. 4, 2024

They put me through Carnatic singing lessons over the phone to help me better connect with my heritage and culture.

From Salon • Aug. 7, 2023

He built a career in India, singing Bollywood hits along with Carnatic ragas.

From New York Times • Jul. 14, 2023

But for the necessary repairs to her boilers, the Carnatic would have sailed on the 5th, and the travellers bound for Japan would have been obliged to wait for eight days for the next steamer.

From Round the World in Eighty Days by Verne, Jules

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023