Palk Strait

American

[pawk, pawlk] / pɔk, pɔlk /

noun

a strait in the Bay of Bengal between SE India and N Sri Lanka, to the N of Adam's Bridge. 40–85 miles (64–137 km) wide.

Palk Strait British

/ pɔːlk, pɔːk /

noun

a channel between SE India and N Ceylon. Width: about 64 km (40 miles)

"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.

What kingdom succeeded because of its ability to monopolize trade through the Palk Strait?

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

Crucially important to its dominance was control of the Palk Strait between Sri Lanka and southern India.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

Compared with India’s fractious land borders, which trace some of the world’s most active geopolitical fault lines, the Palk Strait looks calm, a seemingly clear-cut border between two young nations on two separate landmasses.

From Slate • Sep. 19, 2016

The Palk Strait, once a place of limitless abundance, has become the focal point of a conflict no longer fought over religion or arms or the kidnapped wife of a god, but over fish.

From Slate • Sep. 19, 2016

A service of the British India Steam Navigation Company's steamers has been established between Negapatam and Colombo through Palk Strait and this narrow passage.

From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg

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