Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A lightweight, often plain-woven cotton cloth, usually with a plaid, striped, or checked pattern.
  • noun A similar lightweight patterned cloth made of silk or rayon.
  • noun A large handkerchief of brightly colored silk or cotton, often worn as a turban.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A thin cotton cloth, generally corded or figured, used for shirts, etc.
  • noun A large handkerchief of silk and cotton, usually in bright colors, used by the negroes in the West India islands and elsewhere for turbans, etc.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A large silk-and-cotton kerchief, usually of bright colors, such as those often used by negroes for turbans.
  • noun A light patterned cotton fabric.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun a brightly colored cotton fabric with a checked or striped pattern.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a light patterned cotton cloth
  • noun a state in southeastern India on the Bay of Bengal (south of Andhra Pradesh); formerly Madras
  • noun a city in Tamil Nadu on the Bay of Bengal; formerly Madras

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[After Madras, (Chennai), India.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Madras.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word madras.

Examples

  • Patchwork madras is basically a variety of madras cut up into strips then sewn back together to form a patchwork of these different combinations, which somehow turn out to be a very attractive mix of colors and patterns.

    SciFi, Fantasy & Horror Collectibles - Part 1233 2009

  • The boys never attended a "madras" (sic) or Islamic school as Emir claims, because the Islamic Center at 1425 E.

    Grace and Truth to You Wade Burleson 2010

  • Nazism was not identical with atheism (religion lessons in the schools were still mandatory up to 1945!), and Stalin (brought up in a Christian orthodox "madras") did not commit his atrocities under the banner of atheism:

    Muti 2010

  • In fact, as I write this very article, I am nibbling a bowl of Chex Mix... or is it a bowl of madras?

    Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Brave New Kitchen: Frozen Treats For Summer Big Girls 2011

  • In fact, as I write this very article, I am nibbling a bowl of Chex Mix... or is it a bowl of madras?

    Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Brave New Kitchen: Frozen Treats For Summer Big Girls 2011

  • He is a man of about 75, nursing a martini and looking enormously pleased to be wearing a madras jacket with a striped tie.

    Ann Landi: Dating After Divorce: Geezer Dates Ann Landi 2011

  • He is a man of about 75, nursing a martini and looking enormously pleased to be wearing a madras jacket with a striped tie.

    Ann Landi: Dating After Divorce: Geezer Dates Ann Landi 2011

  • There we were, the next morning, Mrs. O. still wearing white linen pants, me with my madras jacket not yet in mothballs, facing the last and worst thing of all about summer—it's over.

    The Case Against Summer P.J. O'Rourke 2011

  • Now you're ready to saunter into a trendy restaurant in an open-collar shirt, madras blazer and knee-length pants.

    Shorts for Men: a Brief Guide Teri Agins 2011

  • The audience howled when the American husband came out on stage wearing madras Bermudas and sat down with his family to eat dinner in the kitchen while the maids ate in the dining room.

    how to "pass" for a Mexican 2009

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • City, actually

    Now Chennai.

    December 16, 2007

  • madras

    city

    and cloth

    and fashion

    and a state of mind.

    December 16, 2007