Word
transsexual
Phoneticstrans·sex·u·al, stress on the second syllable
US/tɹænˈsɛkʃjuəɫ/
UK/tɹænsˈɛkʃuːəl/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a person whose gender identity is different from the sex they were assigned at birth. This word is less common now, and many people prefer the term 'transgender'.
n. a person whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned to them at birth. Historically used in medical and legal contexts, it has largely been replaced by 'transgender' in contemporary discourse.
Examples
“The transsexual community has made significant progress in recent decades.”
“The documentary explores the life of a transsexual who transitioned in the 1970s and faced significant social challenges.”
Examples
simple
“The transsexual community has made significant progress in recent decades.”
contextual
“The documentary explores the life of a transsexual who transitioned in the 1970s and faced significant social challenges.”
Pitfall
the transsexual is
the transgender person is
The term is considered archaic and potentially offensive by many in the current community; 'transgender' is the preferred modern term.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *terh₂-der. Proto-Italic *trānts Latin trāns Latin trans-bor. English trans- Proto-Indo-European *sek-der. Proto-Indo-European *séksusder. Proto-Italic *seksus Latin sexus Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin sexuālisbor. English sexual English transsexual From trans- + sexual. Introduced to English along with transsexualism by David Oliver Cauldwell in 1949, based on the German word Transsexualismus coined by Magnus Hirschfeld in 1923. Popularized in the mid 1960s, around the same time that transgender was coined; transgender had become an umbrella term and largely but not entirely displaced transsexual by the 1990s.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/transsexual