Madras
/ˈmædrəs/noun
A lightweight cotton fabric, originally associated with the city of Madras (now Chennai), India.
Did you know?Madras cloth became famous through British colonial trade, but its name ultimately points back to the city of Madras, not a hidden occult meaning.
Etymological Timeline
Sanskrit/Dravidian roots (ancient local usage)
Indic
Madras / related local place-name forms
“A regional place-name in South India”
17th Century
Portuguese
Madras
“A European rendering of the South Indian port/city name”
17th-18th Century
English
Madras
“The city of Madras in India, an important trading center”
18th Century
English
Madras cloth
“Cotton cloth imported from or associated with Madras”
Modern English
English
madras
“A lightweight cotton fabric, often in plaid patterns”