A term used to describe people who are not transgender.

“Cis-” is a Latin prefix meaning “on the same side as,” and is therefore an antonym of “trans-.” It is commonly used in chemistry and in relation to geographic features, such as in “cisalpine”.

The term is used to refer to people who identify exclusively with the biological sex they were assigned at birth. Cismale and cisfemale therefore refer to people who identify with maleness and femaleness in a way that corresponds with the biological sex they were assigned at birth. Sexual orientation is not part of this term. Therefore, a cisgender person can be gay, lesbian, asexual, etc.

A more widely understood way to describe people who are not transgender is simply to say non-transgender people.

References:

• Cisgender  (Cisgénero), MODII, ND.
• Explainer: what does it mean to be ‘cisgender’? Joanna McIntyre, The Conversation,2018
• GLAAD media reference guide – transgender. ND.