Causing someone to become unable to function normally; severely limiting or preventing normal activity.
From dis- (opposite of) plus 'able' from Latin habilis meaning 'handy' or 'skillful'. The medical sense developed in the 19th century alongside industrial society.
The evolution of 'disable' reflects changing attitudes toward human differences - originally focused on inability, modern usage increasingly recognizes how society can disable people through barriers rather than inherent limitations.
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