English
Etymology
From Scottish, perhaps from Low German (Brunswick dialect) queer "oblique, off-center", related to German quer "oblique, perverse, odd", from Old High German twerh "oblique," from PIE stem *twerk- "to turn, twist, wind" (related to thwart).
Pronunciation
IPA|/kwir/
SAMPA|/kwir/
AHD|kwîr (for both noun and adjective; but see usage note on pronunciation)
audio|en-us-queer.ogg|Audio (US)
Rhymes: Rhymes:English:-ɪ�(r)|-ɪ�(r)
Usage notes
The use of this word to mean "homosexual" was formerly, and is often still, considered pejorative. However, in the way that all language is dynamic and pliable, the word is also sometimes now used (primarily as adjective) as a neutral or even positive descriptive term, including by some (primarily younger) homosexuals. In its pejorative use, it is applied almost solely to males. In its modern neutral use, it can be applied to all genders.
:Some GLBT youth now use the term as an "all-inclusive" term for the GLBTIQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, Intersex, Queer) etc. community.
:'Queer' is also used as a positive term for people who reject mainstream-gay values and culture. People who identify with this version of queer distance themselves from the commercialisation and (relatively) conformist values of the gay mainstream and embrace fluid and unconstrained definitions of sexuality and gender. There is some common ground between this definition of queer and the punk and DIY scenes. See also "genderqueer".
In the English dialect of the southern United States, the two senses of the adjective queer (homosexual and weird, odd, different, or unwell) are sometimes distinguished by pronunciation. Queer (homosexual) is pronounced (kwîr), queer (weird, odd, different, or unwell) is pronounced (kwär). This is generally considered old-fashioned and is only used when the word is emphasized, as in the phrase "that's awful queer" (pronounced TH�ts ôr'f�l kwär). The distinction is dying out as that latter sense of the word dies out.
Noun
en-noun
- context|Derogatory, slang A homosexual; a person who appear|appears homosexual, or a person who has homosexual quality|qualities.
- context|slang A person of non-heterosexual orientation: an asexual, bisexual, homosexual, transsexual, transgender, or questioning person.
Translations
Breton: heñvelreviad m (neutral), paotretaer m (inoffensive), pich kaoc'h m (highly offensive)
Bulgarian: �омо�ек��али�� m, гей m, педал m (highly offensive)
Dutch: homoseksueel m, homo m, holebi (also includes lesbians and bisexuals)
Finnish: homo, homoseksuaali (inoffensive), hintti
French: gay m (inoffensive), pédé m (highly offensive)
German: Homosexueller m, Schwuler m, Lesbe f (latter two sometimes offensive)
Hungarian: buzi
mid
Italian: gay m, finocchio m (offensive)
Polish: homoseksualista, gej, peda� (offensive), ciota (highly offensive).
Portuguese: homossexual; gay; bicha (offensive), viado, (highly offensive)
Russian: гей, гомо�ек��али�� (neutral), педе�а�� (offensive), гомо�ек (offensive), педик (offensive), пидо�а� (highly offensive)
Spanish: apio m
Swedish: gay, bög
Adjective
en-adj|er
- (somewhat old-fashioned) Weird, odd or different.
- (somewhat old-fashioned) Slightly unwell (mainly in to feel queer).
- slang Homosexual.
- slang Having to do with homosexuality, bisexuality, transgenderism, etc.
Translations
weird, odd, different
Breton: iskis
Bulgarian: ���анен m, ��да� m, о�обен m
Dutch: bizar, afwijkend
Finnish: outo
French: bizarre
mid
German: seltsam
Hungarian: furcsa
Italian: strano, curioso, un po' male
Portuguese: bizarro, estranho
Scottish Gaelic: neònach
trans-top|Slightly unwell
Breton: dihet
French: mal fichu (to feel queer se sentir mal fichu)
trans-mid
German: unwohl
Italian un po' male (to feel queer stare un po' male, sentirsi poco bene)
ttbc|Spanish: trucha
trans-bottom
trans-top|Homosexual
Bulgarian: �омо�ек��ален m
Dutch: homoseksueel, homo
French: gay (inoffensive), pédé (highly offensive)
German: schwul
trans-mid
Hungarian: buzi
Italian: omosessuale (neutral)
Spanish: marica, maricón, trucha, julay, soplanucas, muerdealmohadas (very offensive), joto m (offensive)
trans-bottom
Having to do with homosexuality, etc.
Derived terms
queerish
queerly
queerness
Verb
en-verb
- To render an endeavor or agreement ineffective or null.
- To reevaluate or reinterpret a work with an eye to sexual orientation and/or gender, as by applying queer theory.
bg:queer
es:queer
fr:queer
io:queer
hu:queer
pt:queer
ru:queer
fi:queer
te:queer
vi:queer
zh:queer
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