queer

queer · adjective, noun, verb, adverb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*terkʷ-
2. Proto-Germanic*térkʷos
3. Proto-Germanic*térkwos
4. Proto-Germanic*twérkos
5. Proto-Germanic*þwerhaz
6. Proto-West Germanic*þwerh
7. Old Saxonthwerh
8. Middle Low Germanqueer
9. Proto-West Germanic*þwerh
10. Old High Germantwërh
11. Middle High Germantwër
12. Middle High Germanquër
13. Germanquer
14. English todayqueer

Attested since about 1510, at first in Scots. Usually taken to be from Middle Low German (Brunswick dialect) queer (“oblique, off-centre”) or the related German quer (“diagonal”), from Old Saxon thwerh, from Proto-West Germanic *þwerh, from Proto-Germanic *þwerhaz, from Proto-Indo-European *terkʷ- (“to turn, twist, wind”); compare Latin torqueō, and see more at thwart. The OED argues against this due to the semantic differences and the date at which the word appears in Scots. Began to be used to describe gay people in the late 1800s; see usage notes for more.

Queer · adjective²

From queer.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 19th c. Homosexual.
• from 20th c. Pertaining to sexual or gender behaviour or identity which does not conform to conventional heterosexual or cisgender norms, assumptions etc.
• from 16th c. Strange, odd, or different; whimsical.
• from 18th c. Slightly unwell.