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transsexual

[trans-sek-shoo-uh l or, esp. British, -seks-yoo-]
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noun
  1. a person having a strong desire to assume the physical characteristics and gender role of the opposite sex.
  2. a person who has undergone hormone treatment and surgery to attain the physical characteristics of the opposite sex.
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adjective
  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of transsexuals.
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Compare cissexual.

Origin of transsexual

1955–60; trans- + sexual, orig. in transsexualism (coined in 1953)
Related formstrans·sex·u·al·ism, trans·sex·u·al·i·ty, noun

Usage note

See transgender.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for transsexualism

transsexualism

transexualism

noun
  1. a strong desire to change sex
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transsexual

transexual

noun
  1. a person who permanently acts the part of and completely identifies with the opposite sex
  2. a person who has undergone medical and surgical procedures to alter external sexual characteristics to those of the opposite sex
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for transsexualism

n.

"intense desire to change one's sexual status, including the anatomical structure," 1953, coined by U.S. physician Harry Benjamin (1885-1986) from trans- + sexual. Transsexuality is recorded from 1941, but was used at first to mean "homosexuality" or "bisexuality."

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transsexual

1957 (adj. and n.), from trans- + sexual, and cf. transsexualism.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
transsexualism in Medicine

transsexualism

(trăns-sĕk′shōō-ə-lĭz′əm)
n.
  1. The state of being a transsexual.
  2. The desire to change one's anatomic sexual characteristics to conform physically with one's perception of self as a member of the opposite sex.
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transsexual

(trăns-sĕk′shōō-əl)
n.
  1. A person who strongly identifies with the opposite gender and who chooses to live as a member of the opposite gender or to become one by surgery.
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adj.
  1. Of or relating to such a person.
  2. Relating to medical and surgical procedures designed to alter a person's external sexual characteristics so they resemble those of the opposite gender.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.