Where does “kathoey” come from?

kathoey (English) comes from Thai กะเทย, from Khmer ខ្ទើយ, from Proto-Mon-Khmer ɡɗəəj — sexually abnormal male.

kathoey (English): In Thailand, a transgender person or person of a...

Definitions

  1. In Thailand, a transgender person or person of a...

Ancestry of “kathoey”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Thaiกะเทยeffeminate male, whether being homosexual or not;...
2Khmerខ្ទើយto be a hermaphrodite; to be gay, homosexual
3Proto-Mon-Khmerɡɗəəjsexually abnormal male
Every word from Proto-Mon-Khmer ɡɗəəj →Every word from Khmer ខ្ទើយ →Every word from Thai กะเทย →