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queer

adj. · n. · v.
US //ˈkwɪɹ// UK //kwˈiə// queer
  1. 1 LGBTQ+ identity (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    relating to people who are not heterosexual or who do not follow traditional ideas about gender.

    pertaining to sexual or gender identities that do not conform to conventional heterosexual or cisgender norms.

    Example

    The university offers several courses on queer history and literature.

    Example

    The activist argued that queer spaces are essential for fostering a sense of community among those marginalized by mainstream society.

    Teacher's tip

    This term has been reclaimed by many in the LGBTQ+ community as a positive umbrella term, but it can still be offensive if used by people outside that community or in a derogatory way.
    • non binary
    • LGBTQ+
  2. 2 strange or odd (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Archaic Literary

    strange, unusual, or not what you expect.

    differing from what is usual or expected; strange or odd in a way that may cause suspicion.

    Example

    He had a queer feeling that someone was watching him from the shadows.

    Example

    The old house was filled with queer noises at night, which the locals attributed to the shifting foundations rather than anything supernatural.
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  1. 3 unwell (adj.)
    C2 Proficiency British English Archaic Informal

    feeling slightly sick or faint.

    feeling slightly ill, faint, or physically out of sorts.

    Example

    She felt a bit queer after standing in the hot sun for so long.

    Example

    After the long sea voyage, several passengers complained of feeling quite queer and were unable to attend the captain's dinner.
  2. 4 an LGBTQ+ person (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Slang

    a person who is part of the LGBTQ+ community.

    a person whose sexual orientation or gender identity is non-heteronormative.

    Example

    The festival was organized by a group of local queers who wanted more representation.

    Example

    The documentary explores the lives of queers living in rural areas during the mid-twentieth century.

    Teacher's tip

    As a noun, this word is particularly sensitive; while used within the community as a term of pride, it is frequently considered a slur when used by outsiders.

  3. 5 to spoil or ruin (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic Informal

    to spoil a plan or make something fail.

    to spoil, ruin, or interfere with the success of an endeavor or agreement.

    Example

    The sudden rainstorm threatened to queer our plans for a picnic.

    Example

    The unexpected testimony from the witness served to queer the prosecutor's entire strategy, forcing a last-minute adjournment.
  4. 6 to analyze through a queer lens (v.)
    C1 Advanced Academic Technical Academic

    to look at a book, movie, or history from an LGBTQ+ perspective.

    to reevaluate or interpret a work or concept through the lens of queer theory or LGBTQ+ perspectives.

    Example

    Many modern critics have tried to queer the works of Shakespeare.

    Example

    In her thesis, she sought to queer the traditional narrative of the frontier, highlighting the hidden histories of gender non-conformity in the Old West.
    • reinterpret
Origin

Attested since about 1510, at first in Scots. Usually taken to be from Middle Low German (Brunswick dialect) queer (“oblique, off-center”) or the related German quer (“diagonal”), from Old Saxon thwerh, from Proto-West Germanic þwerh, from Proto-Germanic þwerhaz, from Proto-Indo-European *terkʷ- (“to turn, twist, wind”); compare Latin torqueō, and see more at thwart. The OED argues against this due to the semantic differences and the date at which the word appears in Scots. Began to be used to describe gay people in the late 19th century, see usage notes for more.

Idioms3 entries

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