Penang

American  

[pi-nang, -nahng, pee-nahng] / pɪˈnæŋ, -ˈnɑŋ, ˈpiˈnɑŋ /

noun

1. an island in SE Asia, off the W coast of the Malay Peninsula. 110 sq. mi. (285 sq. km).

2. a state including this island and parts of the adjacent mainland: now part of Malaysia; formerly one of the Straits Settlements and part of the former Federation of Malaya. 400 sq. mi. (1,036 sq. km). Georgetown.

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Penang British  

/ pɪˈnæŋ /

noun

1. Also called: Pulau Pinang.  a state of Peninsular Malaysia: consists of the island of Penang and the province Wellesley on the mainland, which first united administratively in 1798 as a British colony. Capital: George Town. Pop: 1 313 449 (2000). Area: 1030 sq km (398 sq miles)

2. Former name (until about 1867): Prince of Wales Island.  a forested island off the NW coast of Malaya, in the Strait of Malacca. Area: 293 sq km (113 sq miles)

3. another name for George Town

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Penang

For a factory owner in Penang or Ho Chi Minh City, this could mean ripping up decades-old supplier relationships—or losing access to the American market.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026

It’s a fitting name, given its ever-changing array of punchy plates from Penang curry with salted beef and candlenut to grilled salted beef served with “daddy’s special sauce.”

From Salon ● Apr. 8, 2025

“Homiah’s Sambal Chili Crunch product is personal and based on a family recipe from my Granny Nonie dating back to countless generations of Nyonya heritage in Penang, Malaysia,” Tew wrote in a statement on LinkedIn.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2024

Australian doctor Abdullah Naji, 25, who is currently based in the Malaysian city of Penang, says he flies with them frequently, but mainly domestic routes.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2024

There are about two thousand of them in Penang, and no two seem alike.

From From Sea to Sea Letters of Travel by Kipling, Rudyard