autistic

American  

[aw-tis-tik] / ɔˈtɪs tɪk /

adjective

1. relating to or having autism spectrum disorder.

   The researchers are compiling advice on supporting wellness in autistic adults.

   She and her son are both autistic.

   We are a national grassroots disability rights organization for the autistic community.

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noun

1. Also autist a person with autism spectrum disorder.

   It's just an opinion, but it's based on my own experience and conversations with fellow autistics.

Other Word Forms

• unautistic
  adjective
• autistically
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of autistic

First recorded in 1942; aut(ism) ( def. ) + -istic ( def. )

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Explanation

To be autistic is to have a condition that affects a person's ability to communicate with others. Use the adjective autistic to describe someone with the medical condition called autism. Autistic traits include being withdrawn, having difficulty with some forms of communication, and in some cases having extraordinary abilities in music or math. It's not yet known what causes someone to be autistic. The word itself comes from the 1912 German term Autismus, a combination of the Greek autos, "self," and the adjectival ending istic.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

autistic

Because the differences appear during development, the findings also raise the possibility that support aimed at helping autistic children interpret facial emotions could be particularly beneficial when introduced earlier in childhood.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026

They also identified a striking difference in development: In neurotypical children, the brain's response to faces became more specialized with age, while autistic children did not show the same pattern.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026

The results showed that brain activity provided a clearer indication of face viewing in neurotypical children than in autistic children.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026

In other words, the electrical signals associated with seeing faces were less distinguishable in the autistic group.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026

Making these visuals simple and accessible will greatly help autistic children in the class.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

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