autism

American  

[aw-tiz-uhm] / ˈɔ tɪz əm /

noun

Psychiatry.

1. a developmental disability of highly variable presentation, commonly characterized by social and communication differences, repetitive behaviors, intense specialized interests, and differences in sensory processing; autism spectrum disorder.

2. Sometimes classic autism (no longer in clinical use) a developmental disability that commonly manifests in early childhood, characterized by repetitive or restricted behaviors, differences in understanding social interactions, and delayed development of linguistic and cognitive abilities: formerly contrasted with Asperger syndrome.

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autism British  

/ ˈɔːtɪzəm /

noun

1. psychiatry a developmental disorder whose symptoms include difficulty in responding conventionally to people and actions and limited use of communication

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Usage

Rather than talking about an autistic or autistics , it is better to use phrases such as a person with autism and people with autism

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• autist
  noun
• autistic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of autism

First recorded in 1910–15, for an earlier sense; coined in 1944 by Austrian-American psychiatrist Leo Kanner (1894–1981), for the current sense (in the phrase infantile autism ); from German Autismus (in the earlier sense), from New Latin; aut- + -ism

Explanation

Autism is a neurological condition that's marked by differences in learning styles, passionate interests in specific subjects, repetitive motion, and sometimes difficulty with language and communication. The word autism is taken directly from the Greek root auto, meaning “self.” Because autistic people may display a wide variety of characteristics, autism is defined as a range of conditions, known as the autism spectrum. This spectrum varies from those who have a hard time with social interaction to people who aren't able to speak. In some cases, autism is a diagnosis given by a doctor, while in others it's embraced by a person who self-identifies as autistic. A person who has autism is described as autistic.

Example Sentences

The rapper has since apologised for his antisemitism and said his erratic behaviour is partly due to previous diagnoses of autism and bipolar disorder.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

She’s on the autism spectrum, and really loves art and making stuff.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

An international team of scientists has found evidence that autism may include at least two distinct biological subtypes, each defined by a different pattern of communication across the brain.

From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2026

For some employers, autism therapy has become an even bigger expense than routine doctor visits and chemotherapy, according to SmartLight Analytics, a data firm that monitors medical costs for employers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

Sometimes I wish someone would invent a pill so David’d wake up one morning without autism, like someone waking from a long coma, and he’d say, “Jeez, Catherine, where have I been?”

From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord