Definition of "queer" in English

adjective

1. (colloquial, sometimes derogatory) Homosexual.

2. (colloquial, sometimes derogatory) Non-heterosexual or non-cisgender: homosexual, bisexual, asexual, transgender, etc.

3. (loosely) Pertaining to sexual or gender behaviour or identity which does not conform to conventional heterosexual or cisgender norms, assumptions etc.

   • the queer community

4. (dated) Strange, odd, or different; whimsical.

   • 1927, J. B. S. Haldane, “Possible Worlds” in Possible Worlds and Other Papers, London: Chatto & Windus, Now, my own suspicion is that the universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose.

5. (British, informal, dated) Slightly unwell.

   • I felt queer after eating those shrimp.

6. (British, slang, dated) Drunk.

noun

1. (colloquial, sometimes derogatory) A person who is or appears homosexual, or who has homosexual qualities.

2. (colloquial, sometimes derogatory) A person of any non-heterosexual sexuality or sexual identity.

3. (colloquial, sometimes derogatory) A person of any genderqueer identity.

4. (with definite article, informal, archaic) Counterfeit money.

verb

1. (transitive, dated) To render an endeavor or agreement ineffective or null.

   • I was a lot more apt to queer it than help it.

2. (UK, dialect, dated) To puzzle.

   • "Where do you come from?" Stanley queered.

3. (slang, dated) To ridicule; to banter; to rally.

4. (slang, dated) To spoil the effect or success of, as by ridicule; to throw a wet blanket on; to spoil.

5. (social sciences) To reevaluate or reinterpret (a work) with an eye to sexual orientation and/or to gender, as by applying queer theory.

6. (slang, LGBTQ, neologism) To make a work more appealing or attractive to LGBT people, such as by not having strict genders for playable characters.

adverb

1. Queerly.

2. (Ireland) Very, extremely.

   • Twas a queer bachram in the pub that night!