drag queen
feminine, masculine
The English phrase "drag queen" is translated into French as drag queen. If unsure, use drag queen. Wiktionary also lists travelo.
Meaning: male who dresses up in women's clothing (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| drag queen | feminine, masculine | |
| travelo | /tʁa.vlo/ |
In French, the English loanword drag queen is commonly used to refer to performers in drag.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term drag queen can be used with both masculine and feminine articles. Use un drag queen when referring to a male-identifying person and une drag queen when referring to a female-identifying person or using the feminine form.
Did you know?
- The word travelo is a linguistic blend that combines travesti with the ending of gigolo, suggesting a professional or paid element to the entertainment.
- While drag queen is widely used in cities, older generations or people in rural areas may still prefer travesti, though this term can be seen as outdated or offensive in modern queer circles.
- While drag queen is the modern standard, the older term travesti refers to a person who wears clothes of the opposite sex, and it remains the root for many French slang terms regarding gender-bending.
Examples in context
- N'importe quel prêtre est de beaucoup plus susceptible d'être un prédateur d'enfants que n'importe quelle drag queen.A random priest is much more likely to be a child predator than a random drag queen.This sentence uses the form drag queen to compare the likelihood of a priest being a predator to a drag queen.Tatoeba #12043593 by Rovo, translation #12043579 by shekitten
- Le travelo de la kermesse est quand même sympa.The drag queen from the kirmess is pretty cool.This sentence uses the form travelo to describe a drag queen at a fair.
- Un enfant est plus sauf avec un drag queen qu'avec un prêtre.A child is safer with a drag queen than with a priest.This sentence uses the form drag queen to discuss the safety of a child.Tatoeba #11930266 by shekitten, translation #11928692 by shekitten
- Y aura-t-il des artistes travestis ce soir?Will there be any drag queens tonight?
- Tu es vraiment un transformiste incroyable!You are truly an incredible drag queen!
- Cette queen est vraiment géniale!This drag queen is truly amazing!
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are talking about a show they saw.
- EmmaCette drag queen était vraiment incroyable.That drag queen was truly amazing.
- HugoOui, elle avait un costume magnifique.Yes, she had a magnificent costume.
- EmmaTu as aimé sa performance ?Did you like her performance?
- HugoAbsolument, c'était très impressionnant.Absolutely, it was very impressive.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “drag queen” translations and entries travelo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries travelo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
