autism

/ˌɔˈtɪzəm/

/ˈɔtɪzɪm/

Other forms: autisms

Autism is a neurological condition that's marked by differences in learning styles, passionate interests in specific subjects, repetitive motion, and sometimes difficulty with language and communication.

The word autism is taken directly from the Greek root auto, meaning “self.” Because autistic people may display a wide variety of characteristics, autism is defined as a range of conditions, known as the autism spectrum. This spectrum varies from those who have a hard time with social interaction to people who aren't able to speak. In some cases, autism is a diagnosis given by a doctor, while in others it's embraced by a person who self-identifies as autistic. A person who has autism is described as autistic.

Definitions of autism

1. noun

   a condition involving difficulties in social and communication skills
   types:

   infantile autism

   a rare but serious syndrome of childhood characterized by withdrawal and lack of social responsiveness or interest in others and serious linguistic deficits

   type of:

   syndrome

   a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease