cisgender: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumFormal, academic, and social advocacy contexts
Quick answer
What does “cisgender” mean?
denoting or relating to a person whose gender identity corresponds with the sex registered for them at birth.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
denoting or relating to a person whose gender identity corresponds with the sex registered for them at birth
Used to describe individuals who are not transgender; the term serves to normalize the experience of not being transgender and provides a counterpart to "transgender" without implying it is the default or only normal state.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or definition differences. Both varieties use the term identically in formal contexts.
Connotations
Slightly more established in academic and activist circles in the US, but rapidly gaining equal traction in the UK.
Frequency
Moderate and increasing in both varieties, primarily in written and formal spoken registers.
Grammar
How to Use “cisgender” in a Sentence
be + cisgenderidentify as + cisgenderdescribe someone as + cisgenderVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cisgender” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The clinic serves both transgender and cisgender patients.
- He is a cisgender man who is an active ally.
American English
- The form asks if you identify as transgender or cisgender.
- Most of her colleagues are cisgender women.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in diversity and inclusion policies or training materials.
Academic
Common in gender studies, sociology, psychology, and queer theory papers.
Everyday
Increasing in informed discussion about gender, but not yet commonplace in casual conversation.
Technical
Standard term in medical, psychological, and sociological literature discussing gender identity.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cisgender”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cisgender”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cisgender”
- Using 'cis' as a noun without 'person' or 'individual' can sound dehumanizing in some contexts (e.g., 'a cis' vs. 'a cis person').
- Confusing 'cisgender' with 'straight' or 'heterosexual', which refer to sexual orientation, not gender identity.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In descriptive terms, yes—it denotes someone who is not transgender. However, it is not meant as a value judgment or to establish a binary opposition, but rather to describe a specific experience of gender alignment.
It is primarily an adjective. Using it as a standalone noun (e.g., 'a cisgender') is generally discouraged in careful writing and speech, as it can sound reductive. Preferred usage is 'a cisgender person' or 'cisgender people'.
It comes from Latin, meaning 'on this side of' or 'same', forming a counterpart to 'trans-', which means 'across' or 'beyond'. It is used in other scientific terms like 'cisalpine' (on this side of the Alps) and 'cis-trans isomerism' in chemistry.
As a factual descriptor, it is not inherently offensive, but context matters. In most discussions about gender identity, it is an appropriate term. However, imposing any identity label without relevance to the conversation can be impolite.
denoting or relating to a person whose gender identity corresponds with the sex registered for them at birth.
Cisgender is usually formal, academic, and social advocacy contexts in register.
Cisgender: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsɪsˈdʒɛndə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsɪsˈdʒɛndər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
CISgender = Comfortably In Same gender (as assigned at birth).
Conceptual Metaphor
Gender as alignment (cis = "on the same side as", trans = "across from").
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of the term 'cisgender' in modern discourse?