TRANSVESTISM

Dressing in the clothing of the opposite sex. Also called cross-dressing. The prefix "trans-" relates to the Latin verb "transire", meaning "to pass or cross over, or pass beyond" while the "-vestism" stems from "vestitus" meaning "clothed." In centuries past, the Catholic Church forbade women from acting in the theater. Therefore, stage roles for females had to be played by males who dressed as females—male transvestism, at least for the duration of the performance.