What does "madras" mean?
A style of curry dish purported to originate from the Madras region.
Madras
/məˈdɹæs/ name, noun
name, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A style of curry dish purported to originate from the Madras region.
- Grammar: madras is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: checkered, chennai, corduroy, cotton.
- Useful contrasts: countryside, foreign, monochrome.
- Usage evidence: He started getting serious about a career in mathematics during his undergraduate years at Madras University. It was in Calcutta, India, where he'd gone to get his PhD in applied statistics, that Varadhan says the urgings of his peers helped steer him from the applied side to the theoretical side of probability.
How to use "madras"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "madras" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "madras" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "madras" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "madras" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "madras" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "checkered" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "madras", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A style of curry dish purported to originate from the Madras region. British, countable, uncountable
"I’ll have the chicken Madras."
- 2 A brightly colored cotton fabric with a checked or striped pattern. countable, uncountable
"A black woman in blue cotton gown, red-and-yellow Madras turban […] crouched against the wall."
- 3 a light patterned cotton cloth wordnet
- 4 A large handkerchief of this fabric, worn on the head in the West Indies. countable, uncountable
- 5 Alternative form of Madras (“type of curry”). alt-of, alternative, countable, uncountable
"Gerry ordered poppadoms and parathas and then he was interrupted by requests for vindaloos, chicken madrases and sag joshes, rice, raita and nan, from Priest, Morgan and Maria Grazia."
Proper Noun
- 1 Former name of Chennai: the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, India.
- 2 A city, the county seat of Jefferson County, Oregon, United States.
Antonyms
Example
"He started getting serious about a career in mathematics during his undergraduate years at Madras University. It was in Calcutta, India, where he'd gone to get his PhD in applied statistics, that Varadhan says the urgings of his peers helped steer him from the applied side to the theoretical side of probability."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "madras"?
Common synonyms include: checkered, chennai, corduroy, cotton, cotton madras, fabric.
How do you use "madras" in a sentence?
He started getting serious about a career in mathematics during his undergraduate years at Madras University. It was in Calcutta, India, where he'd gone to get his PhD in applied statistics, that Varadhan says the urgings of his peers helped steer him from the applied side to the theoretical side of probability.
How do you pronounce "madras"?
Pronounced /məˈdɹæs/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
The etymology is uncertain; it may derive from Madraspattinam. See Wikipedia for several possible etymologies.
Etymology 2
From Madras, former name of the Indian city Chennai, where it was first produced.