Word
calcutta
Phoneticscal·cut·ta
/ˌkæɫˈkətə/
Definitions
01city in India
n. the former name of Kolkata, a very large city in eastern India.
n. the former official name of Kolkata, the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal.
“My grandfather lived in Calcutta for many years before moving to London.”
“Historical documents from the colonial era frequently refer to Calcutta as the commercial hub of the British Raj in India.”
Usage
Now officially renamed Kolkata, though the older name persists in historical contexts and certain established institutions.
Synonyms
02betting auction
n. a type of auction where people bid on players or teams in a tournament to win money if they succeed.
n. a form of auction sweepstake in which participants bid for the rights to a contestant, with the proceeds forming a prize pool.
“The golf club held a Calcutta before the annual tournament started.”
“The organizers decided to host a Calcutta auction, allowing members to invest in the underdog teams at a significant discount.”
Technical
Usage
Commonly used in the context of golf, horse racing, or backgammon tournaments.
Synonyms
Etymology
Anglicization of Bengali কলকাতা (kolkata), which is now rendered Kolkata.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.