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queer

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Queer describes something odd or unusual, or is an offensive and derogatory term used to describe a homosexual. (adjective)

When you have an odd and unusual habit, it is an example of something that might be described as a queer habit.

Queer is a strange or eccentric person, or an offensive and derogatory slang term used for a homosexual person. (noun)

An example of a queer is a person who dresses in unusual clothes and is known for doing very odd things such as standing on one leg for long periods of time.

See queer in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

differing from what is usual or ordinary; odd; singular; strange
slightly ill; qualmish or giddy
Informal doubtful; suspicious
Informal having mental quirks; eccentric
Slang counterfeit; not genuine
☆ Slang homosexual: in general usage, still chiefly a slang term of contempt or derision, but lately used as by some academics and homosexual activists as a descriptive term without negative connotations

transitive verb

to spoil the smooth operation or success of
to put (oneself) into an unfavorable position

noun

counterfeit money
a strange or eccentric person
☆ Slang a homosexual: see note at adj. 6

Related Forms:

queerish adjective
queerly adverb
queerness noun

See queer in American Heritage Dictionary 4

(kwîr)

adjective queer·er, queer·est

Deviating from the expected or normal; strange: a queer situation.
Odd or unconventional, as in behavior; eccentric. See Synonyms at strange.
Of a questionable nature or character; suspicious.
Slang Fake; counterfeit.
Feeling slightly ill; queasy.
Offensive Slang Homosexual.
Usage Problem Of or relating to lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, or transgendered people.

noun

Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a homosexual person.
Usage Problem A lesbian, gay male, bisexual, or transgendered person.

transitive verb queered, queer·ing, queers
Slang

To ruin or thwart: “might try to queer the Games with anything from troop movements . . . to a bomb attack” (Newsweek).
To put (someone) in a bad position.

Related Forms:

queerˈish adjective

queerˈly adverb

queerˈness noun

Usage Note: A reclaimed word is a word that was formerly used solely as a slur but that has been semantically overturned by members of the maligned group, who use it as a term of defiant pride. Queer is an example of a word undergoing this process. For decades queer was used solely as a derogatory adjective for gays and lesbians, but in the 1980s the term began to be used by gay and lesbian activists as a term of self-identification. Eventually, it came to be used as an umbrella term that included gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered people. Nevertheless, a sizable percentage of people to whom this term might apply still hold queer to be a hateful insult, and its use by heterosexuals is often considered offensive. Similarly, other reclaimed words are usually offensive to the in-group when used by outsiders, so extreme caution must be taken concerning their use when one is not a member of the group.

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