mental retardation

noun

often offensive

: mild to severe impairment in intellectual ability equivalent to an IQ of 70 to 75 or below that is accompanied by significant limitations in social, practical, and conceptual skills (as in interpersonal communication, reasoning, or self-care) necessary for independent daily functioning and that has an onset before age 18 : intellectual disability

Note: The term intellectual disability is now preferred over mental retardation in medical, educational, and regulatory contexts, as well as in general use. The term mental retardation is increasingly considered offensive, though it was the dominant term into the second decade of the current century.

Usage of Mental Retardation and Intellectual Disability

The use of intellectual disability and intellectually disabled are preferred over mental retardation and mentally retarded in medical, educational, and regulatory contexts, as well as in general use. The terms mental retardation and mentally retarded are increasingly considered offensive, though they were the dominant terms into the second decade of the twenty-first century.

Examples of mental retardation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

NTDs can cause lifelong disabilities, including paralysis and mental retardation, if not treated immediately after birth. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2022

By diagnosing the disorder within days, doctors could alter the course of the disease, treating babies with special infant formula and diets before the disorder caused mental retardation. —Mark Johnson, jsonline.com, 29 Apr. 2022

In contrast, children with mental retardation were believed to lag behind in all areas and could not improve with therapy, justifying banishing them to institutions away from society. —Rachel Burr Gerrard, STAT, 13 Feb. 2022

He was assigned to Hilltop, the long-term care facility for people with mental retardation and mental illnesses, as well as behavior management problems. —Meg Kissinger and Steve Schultze, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2021

Alireza was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, profound mental retardation, aphasia and intracranial calcifications. —oregonlive, 30 June 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mental retardation

• acclimatisation
• acclimatization
• acidification
• actualization
• annualization
• autocorrelation
• autoregulation
• beatification
• beneficiation
• biodegradation
• biotransformation
• bureaucratization

Kids Definition

mental retardation

noun

now often offensive

: intellectual disability

Medical Definition

mental retardation

noun

now often offensive : mild to severe impairment in intellectual ability equivalent to an IQ of 70 to 75 or below that is accompanied by significant limitations in social, practical, and conceptual skills (as in interpersonal communication, reasoning, or self-care) necessary for independent daily functioning and that has an onset before age 18 : intellectual disability

Note: The term intellectual disability is now preferred over mental retardation in medical, educational, and regulatory contexts, as well as in general use. The term mental retardation is increasingly considered offensive, though it was the dominant term into the second decade of the current century.