intellectual disability

American  

[in-tl-ek-choo-uhl dis-uh-bil-i-tee] / ˌɪn tlˈɛk tʃu əl ˌdɪs əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

1. a developmental disorder characterized in varying degrees by significant limitations on intellectual abilities, such as learning, problem solving, and reasoning, and on adaptive abilities such as social and practical skills: the diagnostic term intellectual disability replaced the older designation mental retardation in the 2010s. ID

---

Etymology

Origin of intellectual disability

First recorded in 1805–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

intellectual disability

I really thought the supermajority would let states define intellectual disability however they choose and give states so much discretion that they could effectively disregard constitutional safeguards.

From Slate ● May 23, 2026

The research team also highlighted an unexpected finding: some participants showed only psychiatric symptoms, even though GRIN2A changes are usually linked to epilepsy or intellectual disability.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 2, 2025

Clinicians might also be less frequently assigning other labels such as intellectual disability, formally referred to as mental retardation, some data suggest.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2025

She is now a full-time carer for Juno, who has a speech impairment and intellectual disability as a result of the genetic illness.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2025

In 2002, there were about a hundred people with mental retardation facing execution when the Court banned the death penalty for people with intellectual disability.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Related Words

• cognitive impairment
• debilitation
• impairment
• incapacitation
• limitation
• restriction