Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

closet case

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.11 in modern English

Syllables: clos-et -case
IPA

14

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A person who conceals or denies their sexuality or gender identity.

Slang

noun

A person who is shunned, ignored, or considered to be an embarrassment.

Slang

Example Sentences

"Even self-styled liberated gay and straight people sometimes call outspoken bigots "closet cases"."
"Now this one portrays the drill instructor as an extreme/suicidal if he ever admits it closet case."
"Closet case at Delta Upsilon is shunted to the basement...."
"Under-expectation on the part of the parent... can range from a complete refusal by the father to accept the fact that the child does exist (a closet case)..."

Etymology

From closet + case. First use appears c. 1946 in the Washington Post.

Usage

Slang

Inflected Forms

closet cases (plural)

Synonyms

closet closet queen

Questions

What does closet case mean?: A person who conceals or denies their sexuality or gender identity.
Where does closet case come from?: From closet + case. First use appears c. 1946 in the Washington Post.

How to pronounce closet case

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “closet case”.
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