noun
transvestite
tranz-VEHS-tyt
noun
1
A person who wears clothing typically associated with a different gender.
"The novel's main character is a transvestite who performs in an underground cabaret."
How to Use Transvestite
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone who wears clothes usually associated with another gender.
When to use it
Considered outdated or clinical by many; "cross-dresser" is now the more common and neutral term in everyday use.
Easily confused with
cross-dresser
Word Forms
transvestites plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “transvestite”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The novel's main character is a _____ who performs in an underground cabaret.
Etymology
From German Transvestitismus, coined in 1910 by Magnus Hirschfeld from Latin trans- ("across") and vestire ("to dress"); literally "cross-dresser."