West Bengal

American  

noun

1. a state in E India: formerly part of the province of Bengal. 33,805 sq. mi. (87,555 sq. km). Calcutta.

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West Bengal British  

noun

1. a state of E India, on the Bay of Bengal: formed in 1947 from the Hindu area of Bengal; additional territories added in 1950 (Cooch Behar), 1954 (Chandernagor), and 1956 (part of Bihar); mostly low-lying and crossed by the Hooghly River. Capital: Kolkata (Calcutta). Pop: 80 221 171 (2001). Area: 88 752 sq km (34 260 sq miles)

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Example Sentences

She is among the hundreds of Bangladeshis who have gathered over two days at Hakimpur in India's West Bengal state, police said, hoping to cross back as authorities tighten enforcement under a new state government.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

In Indian states that border Bangladesh, like West Bengal and Assam, undocumented migrants have formed an integral part of the informal workforce for years.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

In West Bengal, Salim insists the party is again "regrouping, repositioning and rejuvenating".

From BBC • May 26, 2026

His father Sisir Adhikari was a veteran MP and the family built a political network across parts of coastal West Bengal, with several relatives holding elected office over the years.

From BBC • May 8, 2026

Even Chacko had no really complete explanation for why the Communist Party was so much more successful in Kerala than it had been almost anywhere else in India, except perhaps in West Bengal.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy