transvestite

noun trans·ves·tite \ tran(t)s-ˈve-ˌstīt , tranz- \

|Updated on: 20 Jul 2018

Definition of transvestite

: a person who wears clothes designed for the opposite sex : a cross-dresser

An older term for crossdresser is transvestite. Crossdressers often dress only in certain situations. They do not usually identify as transgender—most identify as straight men.
—Laura Erickson-Schroth

—

transvestism

play \tran(t)s-ˈve-ˌsti-zəm\ or less commonly transvestitism play \tran(t)s-ˈve-ˌsti-ˌti-zəm\ noun

—

transvestite

adjective

See transvestite defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of transvestite from the Web

In the '80s, Hunter experienced a strange career revival of sorts when the eccentric indie filmmaker John Waters cast him in a couple of projects opposite the transvestite performer Divine, and the films became cult classics.

— scott feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Awards Chatter' Podcast — Remembering Tab Hunter," 11 July 2018
Jesus Christ, Harriet Tubman and a transvestite fairy are all involved in the mystery thriller, opening March 1.

— sarah bahr, Indianapolis Star, "Steve Martin musical, Edgar Allen Poe highlight new Phoenix Theatre season," 9 July 2018
She could just as easily be called, in the language of the later twentieth century, a fetishistic transvestite, a lesbian, a latent transsexual or a hermaphrodite.

— Longreads, "The Roaring Girls of Queer London," 8 May 2018
Beatniks, transvestites and obvious homosexuals are conspicuously absent.

— jeet heer, The New Republic, "Charles Murray Is a Marketing Genius," 11 Apr. 2018
My friend Paul Salopek produced dozens of investigative stories, about abuses by the border patrol, the inhalant epidemic, the lives of transvestite prostitutes in Juarez.

— steve almond, Longreads, "My Own ‘Bad Story’: I Thought Journalism Would Make a Hero of Me," 3 Apr. 2018
Allegedly, the rest of the band along with models and transvestites attended a party in the bar’s basement, waiting to be called to set, but never were.

— morgan enos, Billboard, "Before Taylor Swift's 'Delicate,' These 10 Songs Had More Than One Music Video," 30 Mar. 2018
Hailed as a passable lookalike for Sean Penn, the easygoing dude immediately catches the eye of world-weary transvestite proprietor Deusimar (Yuri Yamamoto).

— neil young, The Hollywood Reporter, "'My Own Private Hell' ('Inferninho'): Film Review | Rotterdam 2018," 31 Jan. 2018
Going by the moniker Catita Daiana, Tiao's flamboyant alter ego is something of a whirling dervish bedecked in dowdy transvestite attire.

— neil young, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Azougue Nazare': Film Review | Rotterdam 2018," 29 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'transvestite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of transvestite

German Transvestit, from Latin trans- + vestire to clothe — more at ²vest

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1911

in the meaning defined above

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TRANSVESTITE Defined for English Language Learners

transvestite

noun

Definition of transvestite for English Language Learners

: a person who likes to dress like a person of the opposite sex

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