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

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

Also, the places in Malaysia like Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Melaka are now like the “must-visit” food destinations.”

From Salon • Nov. 15, 2025

Earlier this year, FAM sent Fifa birth certificates showing that the grandparents of its seven players had been born in Malaysian cities like Penang and Malacca.

From BBC • Oct. 7, 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

Mr. C. W. Beebe has recently sent me a specimen taken by him in the Botanical Gardens at Penang.

From Freshwater Sponges, Hydroids & Polyzoa by Annandale, Nelson