autism

noun au·tism \ˈȯ-ˌti-zəm\

medical : a condition or disorder that begins in childhood and that causes problems in forming relationships and in communicating with other people

Full Definition of AUTISM

: a variable developmental disorder that appears by age three and is characterized by impairment of the ability to form normal social relationships, by impairment of the ability to communicate with others, and by stereotyped behavior patterns

— au·tis·tic \ȯ-ˈtis-tik\ adjective or noun

— au·tis·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

See autism defined for English-language learners

See autism defined for kids

First Known Use of AUTISM

1946

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

Rhymes with AUTISM

abysm, ageism, baalism, baptism, Birchism, bossism, bruxism, Buddhism, casteism, centrism, charism, Chartism, classism, cubism, cultism, czarism, deism, dwarfism, faddism, fauvism, Gaullism, Grecism, Hobbism, holism, Jainism, Klanism, leftism, lyrism, Mahdism, Maoism, Marxism, monism, mutism, Nazism, nudism, Orphism, priggism, purism, Ramism, rightism, sadism, Saivism, sapphism, Scotism, sexism, Shaktism, Shiism, Sikhism, simplism, snobbism, sophism, statism, Sufism, tachism, Tantrism, Taoism, theism, Thomism, tourism, tropism, truism, Turkism, verism, Whiggism, Yahwism

Medical Dictionary

autism

noun au·tism \ˈȯ-ˌtiz-əm\

Medical Definition of AUTISM

: a developmental disorder that appears by age three and that is variable in expression but is recognized and diagnosed by impairment of the ability to form normal social relationships, by impairment of the ability to communicate with others, and by stereotyped behavior patterns especially as exhibited by a preoccupation with repetitive activities of restricted focus rather than with flexible and imaginative ones