Chennai

American

[chen-ahi] / ˈtʃɛn ɑɪ /

noun

a seaport in and the capital of Tamil Nadu state, in SE India, on the Bay of Bengal.

Chennai British

/ tʃɪˈnaɪ /

noun

Former name: Madras. a port in SE India, capital of Tamil Nadu, on the Bay of Bengal: founded in 1639 by the English East India Company as Fort St George ; traditional burial place of St Thomas; university (1857). Pop: 4 216 268 (2001)

"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

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Chennai

They pieced together the story of the people she may have painted in Chennai in India, known then as Madras, including the Nawabs of Arcot, the local Mughal rulers.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

Former England coach Andy Flower could be a candidate, while McCullum's former New Zealand team-mate Stephen Fleming is highly respected and has just left Indian Premier League side Chennai Super Kings.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

After submitting countless applications, the 22-year-old found work as an insurance-claims adjuster in Chennai.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026

Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson is an option at the top of the order, in India's second Super Eights clash in Chennai on Thursday.

From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026

"Your father is somewhere in Dubai, Kabir. That's too far away. But your uncle is right here, in this state, in Chennai city, close to our jail."

From "Born Behind Bars" by Padma Venkatraman

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