autism
(no longer in clinical use) a pervasive developmental disorder that commonly manifests in early childhood, characterized by impaired communication, excessive rigidity, and emotional detachment: now considered one of the autism spectrum disorders.
Origin of autism
1Other words from autism
- au·tist, noun
- au·tis·tic [aw-tis-tik], /ɔˈtɪs tɪk/, adjective
- au·tis·ti·cal·ly, adverb
- un·au·tis·tic, adjective
Words that may be confused with autism
- artistic, autistic
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use autism in a sentence
I have some mental health conditions, like autism, ADHD, and PTSD, but I also have physical health struggles, like endometriosis and arthritis.
The Lost Year: Chronic pain, an unusual love story, and reassurance via pickle | Emily VanDerWerff | December 27, 2020 | VoxMedical records she provided to ProPublica document the boys’ chronic conditions, including asthma, autism and other ailments.
The Family Court Judge Who Threatened a Mother With Contempt of Court for Getting Her Child a COVID-19 Test | by Marshall Allen, ProPublica, and Rachel Dissell for ProPublica | December 18, 2020 | ProPublicaUsed for years by people on the autism spectrum, these throws have a genuine calming effect.
Gifts for the most stressed out people you know | Rachel Feltman | December 15, 2020 | Popular-ScienceThe 19-year-old Canadian, who has autism, will soon be the recipient of a torrent of personalized cards, mailed to him from strangers around the world.
A teen with autism lost motivation for his walks to the post office. So strangers are sending cards to his P.O. Box. | Sydney Page | November 11, 2020 | Washington PostThen, in October 2017, Ka turned in paperwork to get Kyra approved for an augmentative communication device, a tablet that allows people with autism, cerebral palsy and other conditions that make communication difficult to express themselves.
People with Developmental Disabilities Were Promised Help. Instead, They Face Delays and Denials. | by Amy Silverman for Arizona Daily Star, with data analysis by Alex Devoid, Arizona Daily Star | November 5, 2020 | ProPublica
British Dictionary definitions for autism
/ (ˈɔːtɪzəm) /
psychiatry a developmental disorder whose symptoms include difficulty in responding conventionally to people and actions and limited use of communication
Origin of autism
1usage For autism
Derived forms of autism
- autistic, adjective, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for autism
[ ô′tĭz′əm ]
A developmental disorder characterized by severe deficits in social interaction and communication and by abnormal behavior patterns, such as the repetition of specific movements or a tendency to focus on certain objects. Autism is evident in the first years of life. Its cause is unknown.
Other words from autism
- autistic adjective
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for autism (1 of 2)
[ (aw-tiz-uhm) ]
A serious disorder appearing in childhood and characterized by the child's refusal to relate to other people and severely limited use of language. The cause of autism in children is unknown, but researchers generally feel that it lies in a malfunction of the central nervous system, not in the way parents have treated them or in other aspects of their environment. The term is sometimes applied, more loosely, to adults who are extremely self-absorbed and who see things in terms of their hopes and fantasies rather than realistically.
A psychiatric disorder marked by deficits in communication and social interaction.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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