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

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Etymology

Origin of intellectual disability

First recorded in 1805–10

Example Sentences

That meant this case was no longer going to be a clean vehicle to decide what the IQ line needs to be for intellectual disability under the Eighth Amendment.

From Slate • May 23, 2026

Grealish has also extended his role as principal ambassador of Special Olympics Great Britain - an organisation that provides sports training and competition for children and adults with an intellectual disability.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

Researchers analyzed outcomes for 262,852 children assessed for autism, 335,255 evaluated for ADHD, and 406,681 assessed for intellectual disability.

From Science Daily • Jan. 19, 2026

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

By the time she had turned thirty, prison doctors diagnosed her with multiple sclerosis, intellectual disability, and mental illness related to trauma.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Related Words

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