queer

/kwɪə/

//kwɪə// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"queer" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“queer” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,265 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#10,265
frequency rank, English
5
letters
6
tracked misspellings
14
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Homosexual.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

queer vs quiet
60% similar
queer vs quest
60% similar
queer vs queue
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for queer
PropertyValue
Headwordqueer
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/kwɪə/
Letters5
Frequency rank#10,265
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs14
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “queer” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). queer lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for queer is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kwɪə/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,265 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for queer, with forms such as "qeuer", "qqueer", and "queerr". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 14 confusable-pair relationships, "quiet", "quest", "queue", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Attested since about 1510, at first in Scots. Usually taken to be from Middle Low German (Brunswick dialect) queer (“oblique, off-center”) or the related German quer (“diagonal”), from Old Saxon thwerh, from Proto-West Germanic *þwerh, from Proto-Germanic *… The correct English form is queer, spelled Q-U-E-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Homosexual.
  2. 2
    Non-heterosexual or non-cisgender: homosexual, bisexual, asexual, transgender, etc.
  3. 3
    Pertaining to sexual or gender behaviour or identity which does not conform to conventional heterosexual or cisgender norms, assumptions etc.
  4. 4
    Strange, odd, or different; whimsical.
  5. 5
    Slightly unwell.
  6. 6
    Drunk.

Etymology

Attested since about 1510, at first in Scots. Usually taken to be from Middle Low German (Brunswick dialect) queer (“oblique, off-center”) 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 19th century, see usage notes for more.

This word in other languages

marica(Español)gay(Français)schwul(Deutsch)bicha(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: qeuer,qqueer,queerr,quer,quere,uqeer

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of queer - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

qeuer2qqueer1queerr1quer1quere2uqeer2
Edit distance from "queer"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "queer"?
"queer" is spelled Q-U-E-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /kwɪə/.
What does "queer" mean?
As an adjective, "queer" means: Homosexual.
What words are commonly confused with "queer"?
"queer" is commonly confused with "quiet", "quest", "queue". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "queer"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "queer" is /kwɪə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "queer"?
Attested since about 1510, at first in Scots. Usually taken to be from Middle Low German (Brunswick dialect) queer (“oblique, off-center”) or the related German quer (“diagonal”), from Old Saxon thwerh, from Proto-West Germanic *þwerh, from Proto-... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “queer”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is Q-U-E-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kwɪə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “quiet” - see the side-by-side comparison. queer vs quiet
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list