Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
autism [aw-tiz-uh m] WORD ORIGIN noun Psychiatry. a pervasive developmental disorder of children, characterized by impaired communication, excessive rigidity, and emotional detachment: now considered one of the autism spectrum disorders. a tendency to view life in terms of one’s own needs and desires. Liberaldictionary.com
Origin of autism First recorded in 1910–15; aut- + -ism Related formsau·tist, nounau·tis·tic [aw-tis-tik] /ɔˈtɪs tɪk/, adjectiveau·tis·ti·cal·ly, adverbun·au·tis·tic, adjectiveCan be confusedartistic autistic Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019 British Dictionary definitions for autistically autism noun psychiatry a developmental disorder whose symptoms include difficulty in responding conventionally to people and actions and limited use of communication Derived Formsautistic, adjective, nounWord Origin for autism C20: from Greek autos self + -ism usage Rather than talking about an autistic or autistics, it is better to use phrases such as a person with autism and people with autism Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for autistically autism n.
1912, from German Autismus, coined 1912 by Swiss psychiatrist Paul Bleuler (1857-1939) from comb. form of Greek autos- “self” (see auto-) + -ismos suffix of action or of state. The notion is of “morbid self-absorption.”
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper autistically in Medicine autism [ô′tĭz′əm] n. A pervasive developmental disorder characterized by severe deficits in social interaction and communication, by an extremely limited range of activities and interests, and often by the presence of repetitive, stereotyped behaviors. It is evident in the first years of life and is usually associated with some degree of mental retardation.infantile autism Kanner’s syndrome Related formsau•tis′tic (ô-tĭs′tĭk) adj. The American Heritage® Stedman’s Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. autistically in Science autism [ô′tĭz′əm] A developmental disorder characterized by severe deficits in social interaction and communication and by abnormal behavior patterns, such as the repetition of specific movements or a tendency to focus on certain objects. Autism is evident in the first years of life. Its cause is unknown. Related formsautistic adjective The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved. autistically in Culture autism [(aw-tiz-uhm)]
A serious disorder appearing in childhood and characterized by the child’s refusal to relate to other people and severely limited use of language. The cause of autism in children is unknown, but researchers generally feel that it lies in a malfunction of the central nervous system, not in the way parents have treated them or in other aspects of their environment. The term is sometimes applied, more loosely, to adults who are extremely self-absorbed and who see things in terms of their hopes and fantasies rather than realistically.
autism
A psychiatric disorder marked by deficits in communication and social interaction.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
