Relating to or affected by autism, a developmental condition characterized by difficulties with social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors.
From Greek 'autos' meaning self, coined by psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911 to describe schizophrenic patients' withdrawal into themselves. Leo Kanner later used 'autism' in 1943 to describe a distinct childhood condition, creating the modern usage.
The term has evolved significantly from its original psychiatric use to become part of neurodiversity advocacy, with many autistic individuals preferring identity-first language ('autistic person') rather than person-first language ('person with autism') to emphasize autism as a fundamental part of their identity rather than a disease to be cured.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.