queer

Overview

Meaning Now

• strange, odd, or out of the ordinary
• of or relating to LGBTQ+ identities and communities
• to put in a difficult or doubtful position; to spoil or make unreliable

Journey

The English word began as an adjective meaning “strange” or “odd,” then expanded into a verb meaning “to spoil” or “to make dubious.” In the 19th and early 20th centuries it became a slur, and in the late 20th century it was reclaimed by many LGBTQ+ speakers as a positive or inclusive identity label. Because of that history, its tone depends strongly on speaker, audience, and context.

Evolution

1. 16th-century English

   queer

   “strange, odd, suspicious”

   The adjective is the earliest clearly recorded English sense.

2. 17th–18th centuries English

   queer

   “to spoil, puzzle, or put out of order”

   Verb use developed from the idea of making something “off” or “not right.”

3. 19th–early 20th-century English

   queer

   “a slur for a homosexual person or for same-sex desire”

   This pejorative sense became common in English-speaking societies.

4. late 20th century to present

   queer

   “an umbrella term for LGBTQ+ identities, often reclaimed positively”

   The term was reclaimed by many communities, though its use can still vary by context and preference.

Connections

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Related to queer

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• jecelyn→
• lesbian→