Standard Lemma guide

kathoey

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.

  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /kæˈtɔɪ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɔɪ

1

noun

Meaning 1

A feminine or effeminate transgender person or person of a third gender assigned male at birth from Cambodia, Laos, or Thailand.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Thailand

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ladyboy

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A effeminate gay man.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Thailand

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Thai กะเทย (gà-təəi), from Khmer ខ្ទើយ (khtəəy), from Proto-Mon-Khmer *ɡɗəəj.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 泰國人妖 /泰国人妖 (Tàiguó rényāo) — transfeminine preson — see also ladyboy
  • French: katoï — transfeminine preson — see also ladyboy
  • German: Katoey — transfeminine preson — see also ladyboy
  • Khmer: ខ្ទើយ (ktəəy) — transfeminine preson — see also ladyboy
  • Korean: 카토이 (katoi) — transfeminine preson — see also ladyboy
  • Lao: ກະເທີຽ (ka thœ̄i) — transfeminine preson — see also ladyboy
  • Lao: ກະເທີຍ (ka thœ̄i) — transfeminine preson — see also ladyboy
  • Polish: kathoey — transfeminine preson — see also ladyboy
  • Russian: като́й (katój) — transfeminine preson — see also ladyboy
  • Tagalog: kathoey — transfeminine preson — see also ladyboy
  • Thai: กะเทย (gà-təəi) — transfeminine preson — see also ladyboy
  • Vietnamese: kathoey — transfeminine preson — see also ladyboy
  • Vietnamese: katoey — transfeminine preson — see also ladyboy