Standard Lemma guide

cross-dresser

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈkɹɒsˌdɹɛ.sə/
  • US: /ˈkɹɔsˌdɹɛ.sɚ/
  • US: /ˌkɹɔsˈdɹɛ.sɚ/
  • cot-caught-merger: /ˈkɹɑsˌdɹɛ.sɚ/
  • cot-caught-merger, dated: /ˌkɹɑsˈdɹɛ.sɚ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

someone who adopts the dress or manner or sexual role of the opposite sex

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: transvestite

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: person, individual, someone, somebody, mortal, soul

History

Etymology

From cross-dress + -er.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: травестит (travestit) — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Esperanto: transvestanto — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Finnish: ristiinpukeutuja — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • French: travesti — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • French: travelo — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Macedonian: травести́т (travestít) — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Classical Nahuatl: xochihua — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Polish: transwestyta — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Polish: transwestytka — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Portuguese: travesti — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Romanian: travestit — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Russian: кроссдре́ссер (krossdrésser) — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Spanish: travesti — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Spanish: travestí — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Spanish: travestido — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Spanish: travestista — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Spanish: transvesti — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Spanish: trasvesti — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite
  • Spanish: trasvestista — person who wears clothing considered appropriate only for the opposite sex — see also transvestite