Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
transvestitism

transvestitism

1 9.9
An act of dressing and behaving like the opposite sex to show who someone is or for performance
  • noun
  • /trænzˈvɛstɪˌtɪzəm/
  • Archaic
translation icon : transvestismo

Examples

  • It's kind of a baroque kind of transvestitism, or transvestitism sort of turned around.

  • It is kind of transvestitism to the second power or something like that.

  • "Graphic elements of brutal violence, voyeurism, transvestitism and incest."

    Hitchcock (2012)

  • Transvestitism allows some individuals to express their identity by dressing in clothing traditionally associated with the opposite sex.

  • Many people view transvestitism as a form of self-exploration and personal expression.

  • In discussions about gender roles, transvestitism often comes up as an example of how societal norms can be challenged.

Synonyms

cross-dressing
vstransvestitism
5 6.1

Wearing clothes usually worn by the opposite sex

is broader, covering appearance and role changes often for personal reasons
transvestism
vstransvestitism
  • Archaic
1 9.3

Dressing and sometimes acting like the opposite sex

focuses on adopting the opposite sex appearance or role for personal reasons

Surface Forms

transvestitism singular
transvestitisms plural

Morphology

transvestitism = transvestite (transparent) = trans + vest + ite + ism

Formation by adding the productive noun-forming suffix '-ism' to 'transvestite' is a clear and regular derivation.

Etymology

Transvestitism comes from the parts trans- meaning 'across', vest meaning 'to dress' or 'clothing', and the ending -ism meaning 'a practice'. So, transvestitism is like 'dressing across', which helps you remember it means the practice of dressing as the opposite sex.