Definition of "madras" [ma•dras]

• A cotton cloth of fine texture, usually with a plaid, striped, or checked pattern. (noun)
• A silk, generally striped, cloth. (noun)
• A light cotton cloth used for drapery. (noun)
• A similar cloth of rayon. (noun)
• A large handkerchief of brightly colored silk or cotton, often worn as a turban. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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