male-to-female

American  

[meyl-tuh-fee-meyl] / ˈmeɪl təˈfi meɪl /

adjective

1. Sometimes Offensive. noting or relating to a person who was assigned male at birth but whose gender identity or gender expression is female.

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noun

1. Sometimes Offensive. a person who was assigned male at birth but whose gender identity or gender expression is female. MTF, MtF

Sensitive Note

Male-to-female was once the accepted terminology for women who were assigned male at birth. The term continues to be used in medical literature, and some transgender people do identify that way. Especially among younger transgender people, however, trans woman is now a more popular term for this demographic. For some people, the term male-to-female can be offensive for its implication that trans women were “originally” male, and have only now become female.

Etymology

Origin of male-to-female

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Last month, however, a World Athletics working group recommended a revision to eligibility regulations for male-to-female trans athletes, on the basis of fresh evidence which it said shows there is a "significant performance gap before the onset of puberty".

From BBC

Earlier this week, Sports Illustrated placed pop star Kim Petras on one of the four covers of its annual women’s swimsuit edition, making the singer the second male-to-female transgender model to make the cover.

From Washington Times

It comes after Austin Killips became the first male-to-female transgender athlete to win a UCI women's stage race at the Tour of the Gila on Sunday.

From BBC

USA Today stood by its decision to honor male-born legislator Leigh Finke as one of its 2023 Women of the Year as critics on the right decried the move as the latest example of male-to-female transgender individuals usurping awards intended for girls and women.

From Washington Times

Four Connecticut female track athletes are embroiled in a lawsuit with the state’s scholastic sports authority over two male-to-female transgender athletes who won multiple girls’ races and titles from 2017-19.

From Washington Times