transvestite

Borrowed from Latin trāns + vestītus, form of vestiō (“I clothe, I dress”) (as in English vestment, vest). Literally, a "cross-dresser". From transvestitism, from German Transvestitismus, coined in 1910 by Magnus Hirschfeld (the practice itself is much older).

Even though Steven used to dress up in his sister's clothes, it still came as a surprise he ended up as a transvestite.

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 personal choice.


drag

en-verb

drag (third-person singular simple present drags, present participle dragging, simple past and past participle dragged or (dialectal) drug)

drags (present singular third-person)
dragging (participle present)
dragged (participle past)
dragged (past)
drug (dialectal participle past)
drug (dialectal past)

From Middle English draggen (“to drag”), early Middle English dragen (“to draw, carry”), confluence of Old English dragan (“to drag, draw, draw oneself, go, protract”) and Old Norse draga (“to draw, attract”); both from Proto-Germanic *draganą (“to draw, drag”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰregʰ- (“to draw, drag”).
Verb sense influenced due to association with the noun drag (“that which is hauled or dragged”), related to Low German dragge (“a drag-anchor, grapnel”). Cognate with Danish drægge (“to dredge”), Danish drage (“to draw, attract”), Swedish dragga (“to drag, drag anchor, sweep”), Swedish draga (“to draw, go”), Icelandic draga (“to drag, pull”). Doublet of draw.

cog

look as if one has been dragged through a hedge backwards

Drag the file into the window to open it.

graphical user interface
graphical user interface

(graphical user interface) To operate a pointing device by moving it with a button held down; to move, copy, etc. (an item) in this way.

trække

computing: to move a cursor while holding down a button on the mouse


CD

en-noun

CD (countable and uncountable, plural CDs)

Abbreviation of various terms and phrases.

(medicine) Abbreviation of Crohn's disease.

سِي دِي

abbreviation of compact disc — see also compact disc


CD

en-verb

CD (third-person singular simple present CDs, present participle CDing, simple past and past participle CDed)

CDs (present singular third-person)
CDing (participle present)
CDed (participle past)
CDed (past)

By now I did not feel right without a bra and panties whenever I CD'ed.

1993 January 5, Tierney Dhewitrei, “about me, is it familiar?”, in alt.transgendered (Usenet):


gaff

She bought a roll of black gaff to tape down the loose cords.

(informal, uncountable) Clipping of gaffer tape.


tuck

tuck (third-person singular simple present tucks, present participle tucking, simple past and past participle tucked)

tucks (present singular third-person)
tucking (participle present)
tucked (participle past)
tucked (past)

From Middle English tuken, touken (“to torment, to stretch (cloth)”), from Old English tūcian (“to torment, vex”) and Middle Dutch tucken (“to tuck”), both from Proto-Germanic *teuh-, *teug- (“to draw, pull”) (compare also *tukkōną), from Proto-Indo-European *dewk- (“to pull”). Akin to Old High German zucchen (“to snatch, tug”), zuchôn (“to jerk”), German Low German tuken (“to tug, pluck, grab and pull towards”), Old English tēon (“to draw, pull, train”). Doublet of touch.

cog

(transitive) To pull or gather up (an item of fabric).

to tuck a dress

To sew folds; to make a tuck or tucks in.

Honey, have you tucked today? We don’t wanna see anything nasty down there.

(LGBTQ, of a drag queen, trans woman, etc.) To conceal one’s penis and testicles, as with a gaff or by fastening them down with adhesive tape.


cross-dresser

desc

кроссдре́ссер

→ Russian: кроссдре́ссер (krossdrésser)

/ˈkɹɒsˌdɹɛ.sə/

/ˈkɹɔsˌdɹɛ.sɚ/

/ˌkɹɔsˈdɹɛ.sɚ/

/ˈkɹɑsˌdɹɛ.sɚ/

/ˌkɹɑsˈdɹɛ.sɚ/

Tedd: "Between seeing me, knowing my name, and hearing two guys arguing about skirts, he's going to be able to figure out that it was me who answered the door! He's going to know I was transformed!"

2006 March 6, Dan Shive, El Goonish Shive (webcomic), Comic for Monday, Mar 6, 2006:

For the buildings John uses plastic sheeting employed in the window banners of a particular ladies' clothing chain. [...] I asked John if the sales assistants in those shops thought he was odd, walking in and asking for bits of plastic. 'What you've got to remember,' he said, 'is that they get a lot of cross-dressers going in there, so I'm not that weird in comparison.'

2012, Andrew Martin, Underground Overground: A passenger's history of the Tube, Profile Books, →ISBN, page 268:

A person who wears clothing which society considers appropriate only for members of the opposite sex.

травестит

person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite


drag queen

From drag (“women's clothing worn by men”) + queen.

compound

Coordinate term: drag king

Donald was donning a brand new pair of pantyhose. He hadn’t shaved in a while, and he could feel his stubble snag on the nylon. It’s not pretty when a drag queen gets careless, he thought, but it was too late to do anything about it tonight.

1996, Robert Rodi, Drag Queen, New York: Dutton, →ISBN, retrieved 2022-02-05, page 37:

(LGBTQ, originally slang) A person, usually male, who dresses up in women’s clothing and makeup, typically in an exaggerated fashion and for public performance.


cross-dress

en-verb

cross-dress (third-person singular simple present cross-dresses, present participle cross-dressing, simple past and past participle cross-dressed)

cross-dresses (present singular third-person)
cross-dressing (participle present)
cross-dressed (participle past)
cross-dressed (past)

/ˈkɹɔsˈdɹɛs/

/ˈkɹɒsˈdɹɛs/

The need to cross-dress is no more understood than the natural forms of differing sexual orientation.

1976 December 11, Sarah Montgomery, “Plea For Tolerance”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 24, page 4:

To wear clothes typically associated with the opposite sex.

переодева́ться

в мужчи́ну OR в же́нщину


cross-dressing

The wearing of clothing which society considers appropriate for the opposite sex rather than the wearer's sex.

Now, a study published in Nature shows that cross-dressing does indeed occur and is important for boosting memory CD8+ T cell responses in vivo.

2011 April 21, Olive Leavy, “Cross-dress to impress”, in Nature Reviews Immunology, volume 11, number 302, →DOI:

(immunology) Display by antigen-presenting cells of antigens obtained from the surface of infected cells.


transvestism

en-noun

transvestism (usually uncountable, plural transvestisms)

Transexualism. Where the compulsive urge reaches beyond female vestments, and becomes an urge for gender ("sex") change, transvestism becomes "transexualism." The term is misleading; actually, "transgenderism" is meant, because sexuality is not a major factor in primary transvestism. Psychologically, the transexual often differs from the simple cross-dresser; he is conscious at all times of a strong desire to be a woman, and the urge can be truly consuming.

1965, John F. Oliven, “Sexual Deviations”, in Sexual Hygiene and Pathology: A Manual for the Physician and the Professions, 2nd edition, →OCLC, page 514:

(clinical psychology, psychiatry, pathology) A paraphilia typically found in heterosexual males characterized by compulsively seeking and deriving sexual arousal from cross-dressing, especially if the urges and behavior cause the patient distress or social impairment.


drag king

From drag (“men's clothing worn by women”) + king, by analogy with drag queen. First use appears c. 1954 in the newspaper National City News (California).

compound

Part of an ongoing ethnography of an imperial sovereign court I am undertaking, this chapter explores the world of the lesbian drag king and the gendered performance she undertakes in this realm.

1973, Abstracts in Anthropology, volume 4, Google Books

(colloquial, LGBTQ) A person, usually female, who dresses up in men's clothing, typically in an exaggerated fashion and for public performance.


transvestitism

en-noun

transvestitism (usually uncountable, plural transvestitisms)

And if you factor in transvestitism, things get really stirred up.

2009 August 21, The New York Times, “Art in Review”, in New York Times:


en femme

From the French phrase en femme, as in s’habille en femme. Compare the (English) femme.

Most of them also “love to shop”—especially en femme[.]

2002 July, Jane E. Hegland, Nancy J. Nelson, Cross-Dressers in Cyber-Space: Exploring the Internet as a Tool for Expressing Gendered Identity, in the International Journal of Sexuality and Gender Studies, volume 7, issues 2–3, pages 139–161

(chiefly of a trans, non-binary, or cross-dressing person) Dressed in feminine clothing.


transvest

en-verb

transvest (third-person singular simple present transvests, present participle transvesting, simple past and past participle transvested)

transvests (present singular third-person)
transvesting (participle present)
transvested (participle past)
transvested (past)

[…] both their gender role and their gender status must have been so distinctively androgynous that they probably did not transvest.

2010, Sabine Lang, Men as Women, Women as Men: Changing Gender in Native American Cultures:

(uncommon, formal) To wear clothes typically associated with the opposite sex.


transvestic

Transvestic fetishism varies from the occasional wearing of a few articles of clothing of the opposite sex to complete cross-dressing.

1996, Michael G. Gelder, Oxford Textbook of Psychiatry, page 499:

He occupies himself professionally with women's clothes as an outlet for his suppressed transvestic desires.

2001, Susan Stryker, Queer Pulp, page 78:

Eighty-two percent (n = 23) of the paraphilic group declared fetishistic interests, 79% reported sadomasochistic interests, and 50% were transvestic.

2012, D. Richard Laws, William T. O'Donohue, Sexual Deviance, Second Edition: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment:


CDer

I live in the Birmingham, AL area and just started CDing three months ago and I know absolutly^([sic]) no other CDers or even anyplace to go in town. Can anyone tell me of any T friendly places in the area or tell me how I might find some other CDers in the area to talk to?

1995 March 27, DanielleSA (username), “T* friendly places in B'ham?”, in alt.transgendered (Usenet):

1996 September 16, Julie (username), “Toronto: CDers”, in alt.sex.trans (Usenet):

Hi, my name is Chrissy and I'm still a closet CDer. But I'm looking for other L.I.(Suffolk Co) CDers to help me come out of the closet, […]

1998 April 25, Chris Binsack (username), “Long Island CDer looking for other CDers”, in alt.fashion.crossdressing (Usenet):

1998 October 9, Lenora (username), “Manchester CDers”, in uk.adverts.personals.gay-lesbian-bi (Usenet):

2002 July 13, Jack (username), “Male (occasional CDer) seeks e-mail pen pals with other CDers.”, in uk.people.crossdressing (Usenet):


transvestic fetishism

en-noun

transvestic fetishism (countable and uncountable, plural transvestic fetishisms)

(psychology) A paraphilia of some males, characterized by recurrent, intense sexual urges, arousal, or orgasm associated with fantasized or actual cross-dressing.


en homme

From the French phrase en homme, as in s’habille en homme.

Coordinate term: en femme

(chiefly of a trans, non-binary or cross-dressing person) Dressed in masculine clothing.


female impersonator

female impersonator (plural female impersonators)

"About the only job left that a woman can beat a man in is female impersonator in vaudeville."

1908, O. Henry, “The Hand That Riles The World”, in The Gentle Grafter:

It was Gerald converted me to be a true corsetlover when I was female impersonator in the High School play Vice Versa.

1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 15]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC:

Danny La Rue, a female impersonator who became one of the highest-paid performers on the British stage by bringing sophistication and spectacle to a form of entertainment previously regarded as dubious, died at his home in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, on Sunday.

2009 June 3, William Grimes, “Danny La Rue, Female Impersonator, Dies at 81”, in New York Times, retrieved 2015-10-13:

(performing arts) A male entertainer who performs cross-dressed as a woman.


drag artist

(LGBTQ) A person who wears drag, typically for public performance.


daming

Jack (Tripp) specialised; daming was what he did.

2013 March 21, Charles Nevin, “Tripp”, in Jack: Stories of Britain’s Favourite Name, Random House, published 2013:

the act of performing as a pantomime dame


otokonoko

otokonoko (plural otokonokos or otokonoko)

/ɒ.təˈkəʊ.nəˌkəʊ/

Borrowed from Japanese 男の娘 (literally “male girl”).

bor+

(Internet slang) A male-to-female cross-dresser.


xdresser

New Zealand actually ranks about 3rd in the world for xdressers per capita - after Britain and Scandinavia.

1998 March 12, Sama...@manawatu.gen.nz, “NZ Cross-Dressers.”, in nz.soc.queer (Usenet), retrieved 2022-05-18:

• xdsupport
Support group for women who have mates who like to crossdress..whether you are comfortable with this or not..we'd like for you to share your thoughts. I am dealing with this very topic...sometimes I'm okay with it...sometimes not. (xdressers are welcome to join and share their thoughts and feelings.)

2000 August 20, .,Bert..,,, “Happy Anniversary, TeamSatan!”, in rec.skiing.alpine (Usenet), retrieved 2022-05-18:

Hi all, 29yo bi m xdresser from Antrim area, up for fun with str8/bi/married guys, or other cd's/tv's, sorry no gay guys!!

2003 May 31, Debaser, “N.Ireland bi xdresser!”, in uk.adverts.personals (Usenet), retrieved 2022-05-18:


xdress

en-verb

xdress (third-person singular simple present xdresses, present participle xdressing, simple past and past participle xdressed)

xdresses (present singular third-person)
xdressing (participle present)
xdressed (participle past)
xdressed (past)

I'm taking it one day at a time. I haven't xdressed since this has happened and probably won't for awhile.^([sic])

1996 July 19, CybreGrrl, “My world turned upside down and ended”, in soc.support.transgendered (Usenet), retrieved 2022-05-19:

Do you xdress too? To bad you can't get a crowd to join in. EM me and tell me more about yourself and Ill send a pic.

2001 July 12, CDLAYMN, “Minneapolis, Sun-Wed 7/15 - 18”, in alt.personals.transgendered (Usenet), retrieved 2022-05-19:

Grace, when you say fake nails, do you mean drugstore stickon/glueon nails or acrylic salon nails? Since you mention getting the wrong size, I suspect you are talking about the drugstore ones which are pretty flimsy. My sweetie wears them when he xdresses for a night but that's all they are good for.

2002 August 31, Klarissa, “OT(nails fake or real )”, in alt.gothic.fashion (Usenet), retrieved 2022-05-19:

When did you start to Xdress?

2004 February 1, w, “unbelievable Jethro Tull news”, in alt.music.yes (Usenet), retrieved 2022-05-19:

It is a terrible shame that you are not a TS and attracted to men, because you my dear make a darling woman and you would give men serious hottie fever. You could xdress 100% of the time and look amazing, and you have nothing to be ashamed about appearance-wise.

2006 November 2, Alison, “Updated my site - Halloween outfits”, in alt.fashion.crossdressing (Usenet), retrieved 2022-05-19:


transvesticism

They conclude that trans-sexualism is really fetishistic transvesticism that exists for the defensive purposes of becoming a perfect self and staving off depression, anger and helplessness.

2011, Dieter Lohmar, Jagna Brudzinska, Founding Psychoanalysis Phenomenologically, page 204:


male impersonator

en-noun

male impersonator (plural male impersonators)

(performing arts) A female entertainer who performs cross-dressed as a man.