Pronunciation: /tɜrf/

Definitions of TERF

noun a derogatory term for a person who holds transphobic views, specifically towards transgender women

Example Sentences

A1 A TERF is someone who holds transphobic views.

A2 The TERF refused to acknowledge the gender identity of the trans person.

B1 The TERF group protested against transgender rights.

B2 The TERF ideology is based on exclusion and discrimination against transgender individuals.

C1 Many consider TERFs to be harmful to the LGBTQ+ community.

C2 TERFs often use pseudo-feminist arguments to justify their transphobia.

Examples of TERF in a Sentence

formal TERF stands for Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist, a term used to describe individuals who exclude transgender women from their definition of feminism.

informal I heard that Sarah is a TERF and doesn't believe transgender women should be included in women's spaces.

slang Some people refer to TERFs as 'gender-critical feminists' but others see it as a derogatory term.

figurative Being a TERF is like building a wall between different groups of women instead of working together for equality.

Grammatical Forms of TERF

plural

TERFs

present tense

TERFs

future tense

will TERF

perfect tense

have TERFed

continuous tense

are TERFing

singular

TERF

positive degree

more TERF

infinitive

to TERF

gerund

TERFing

participle

TERFed

Origin and Evolution of TERF

First Known Use: 2008 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: TERF is an acronym for Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist, which refers to a subset of feminists who exclude transgender women from their advocacy and activism.
Evolution of the word: The term TERF gained popularity in online feminist circles in the late 2000s and has since been used to describe a specific group of feminists who hold exclusionary views towards transgender individuals.