English

Noun

transvestite ‎(plural transvestites)

1. A person who sometimes wears clothes traditionally worn by and associated with the opposite sex; typically a male who cross-dresses occasionally by habit or compulsion.

Usage notes

• This term is relatively formal (Latinate); cross-dresser is more casual, but whereas the verb cross-dress is common, the verb transvest is quite rare.
• Transvestite should not be confused with transgender or transsexual (see those terms for more); transvestites are often happy with their gender and have no desire to change their sex, but simply enjoy being able to cross-dress from time to time. When speaking of to or about an individual who identifies as transgender, the term transvestite is typically seen as derogatory.
• The term should also not be confused with drag queen ‎(“male who wears women’s clothing for public performance”); that term is specifically for performers.

Synonyms

• cross-dresser
• (pejorative) tranny
• TV
• see also Wikisaurus:transvestite

Derived terms

Related terms

• transgender
• transsexual

Translations