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

• autistically adverb
• unautistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of autistic

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

Example Sentences

Some were less comfortable with the possibility of false positives, since there are often autistic people, or users whose first language isn’t English, whose writing styles are stigmatized as A.I.-like.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

No single approach works for every 988 caller, autistic or not.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Haight believes autistic people should have something similar.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

“Misunderstandings happen frequently between autistic and non-autistic individuals, and this can be difficult at the best of times,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

When Schultz repeated the experiment with autistic people, however, he found that they used their object-recognition area for both the chairs and the faces.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell