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

• 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 most special part of the night: I attended along with my son, 19, who is on the autism spectrum and laughed and smiled for three hours straight.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

In mitigation, Jamie Adams said John had learning disabilities, with conditions such as epilepsy and autism, and described him as "a very vulnerable and very disadvantaged human being".

From BBC • May 12, 2026

There is no known link between childhood vaccines and autism.

From Salon • May 10, 2026

The court heard the teenager was seen by a psychiatrist who diagnosed him as having autism spectrum disorder and complex post-traumatic stress disorder.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Children with autism will show signs of discomfort or distress because they don’t know the routine.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin