Malacca

American  

[muh-lak-uh, -lah-kuh] / məˈlæk ə, -ˈlɑ kə /

noun

1. a state in Malaysia, on the SW Malay Peninsula: formerly a part of the British Straits Settlements and of the Federation of Malaya. 640 sq. mi. (1,658 sq. km).

2. a seaport in and the capital of this state.

3. Strait of, a strait between Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. 35–185 miles (56–298 km) wide.

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malacca ¹ British  

/ məˈlækə /

noun

1. the stem of the rattan palm

2. a walking stick made from this stem

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Malacca ² British  

/ məˈlækə /

noun

1. a state of SW Peninsular Malaysia: rubber plantations. Capital: Malacca. Pop: 635 791 (2000). Area: 1683 sq km (650 sq miles)

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Other Word Forms

• Malaccan adjective

Example Sentences

Singapore is the world's top bunkering hub due to its strategic location along the Strait of Malacca, having a well-developed infrastructure and access to refineries.

From Barron's • Nov. 24, 2025

MarineTraffic, a ship-tracking website, showed that the USS Nimitz's last location was in the Malacca Strait heading towards Singapore early on Tuesday.

From BBC • Jun. 17, 2025

The Gulf is adjacent to the South China Sea, which China claims virtually in its entirety, and would give easy access to the Malacca Strait, one of the most important shipping lanes in the world.

From Seattle Times • May 18, 2024

Last month, four people were rescued after a Malaysian coast guard helicopter crashed in the Strait of Malacca.

From New York Times • Apr. 23, 2024

We sailed from Madras across the Bay of Bengal, down through the Strait of Malacca, around Singapore and up to Manila.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel