Meaning & use
cross-dressing
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
The practice of wearing clothes usually associated with the opposite sex.
Grammar: Uncountable, so no plural and no 'a': say 'cross-dressing is', not 'a cross-dressing'.
Patterns
- cross-dressing in public
- cross-dressing as a form of expression
The play uses cross-dressing to create confusion and comedy.
In some cultures, cross-dressing has a long history in religious festivals.
He wrote a book about cross-dressing in nineteenth-century theater.
adjectivebefore a noun
Relating to the wearing of clothes usually associated with the opposite sex.
Grammar: Used before a noun: a cross-dressing performer. It is not used after a verb.
Patterns
- a cross-dressing character
- cross-dressing behavior
She played a cross-dressing character in the film.
The magazine ran a story on cross-dressing performers in the city.
Common combinations
- cross-dressing in public
- Laws about cross-dressing in public have changed in many countries.
- a history of cross-dressing
- The museum explored the history of cross-dressing on stage.
- engage in cross-dressing
- Some people engage in cross-dressing for fun or for performance.
- cross-dressing as a form of expression
- For him, cross-dressing is a form of personal expression.
Synonyms and how they differ
- transvestism
- A more formal, medical-sounding term for the same behavior; 'cross-dressing' is the everyday, neutral choice.
Word family
- cross-dress verb
- To wear clothes usually associated with the opposite sex.
- cross-dresser noun
- A person who cross-dresses.
Commonly confused: cross-dressing or transgender?
cross-dressing vs transgender
'Transgender' describes a person's gender identity, which is not the same as cross-dressing; a cross-dresser may not be transgender.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'cross-dressing' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Cross-dressing' is an uncountable noun, so it fits as a subject with a singular verb: 'includes cross-dressing'. Option 1 wrongly adds 'a' and treats it as a person; option 2 uses a plural verb with an uncountable noun; option 4 needs the verb form 'cross-dresses' or 'cross-dressed'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cross-dressing”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.