drag queen

noun

plural drag queens
: a person and especially a man who performs as an entertainer in usually female drag (see drag entry 3 sense 2a)
Drag queens, who are traditionally male, dress in "drag" as female characters.Lauren Wavra
For the past decade, (basically since RuPaul started Drag Race) traditional drag queens (ie, cis men performing as female characters) have been blowing up in the popular zeitgeist …Brittany Knupper
Drag is not simply female impersonation, but involves drag queens exaggerating femininity and drag kings exaggerating masculinity.Shannon Kelly
[Victoria] Sin is a female-bodied non-binary drag queen, examining how Western ideals of femininity are produced and consumed.Amrou Al-Kadhi
They are a black, non-binary drag queen with a beard in a part of the country that has a reputation for being anti-LGBTQ+.Bailey Shelton

Examples of drag queen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Another speaker raised concerns about the event being advertised as open to all ages, including children, and having a drag queen host. Nina Burns, CBS News, 27 June 2026 Proof is inviting, promoting and partnering with a drag queen named Peaches Christ. Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026 At the Canva Creative Cabana Pride on the Croisette party on the beach, the night started with a parade of European drag queens onstage gyrating to pop songs from Katy Perry and Rihanna. Marc Malkin, Variety, 25 June 2026 Rollerena’s audience was never narrowly defined—her world intentionally included gay men, lesbians, transgender people, drag queens, activists, partygoers, and curious strangers alike. Emilie Hardman, JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for drag queen

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1941, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of drag queen was circa 1941

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Cite this Entry

“Drag queen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drag%20queen. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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