TRANSVESTISM
transvestism, transvestitism, cross dressing
(noun) the practice of adopting the clothes or the manner or the sexual role of the opposite sex
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
transvestism (usually uncountable, plural transvestisms)
The condition of being a transvestite.
(clinical psychology, psychiatry, pathology) A paraphilia typically found in heterosexual males characterized by compulsively seeking and deriving sexual arousal from cross-dressing, especially if the urges and behavior cause the patient distress or social impairment.
Usage notes
• Historically, the meaning of transvestism also encompassed transgender identity.
• Clinically, transvestism is defined more narrowly than in colloquial use, and is distinguished from other forms of cross-dressing that are not associated with sexual arousal, such as cross-dressing to perform a role for entertainment purposes—which is properly termed drag.
Synonyms
• transvestitism
Source: Wiktionary