developmental disability

noun

plural developmental disabilities

: any of various conditions (such as autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, blindness, or fragile X syndrome) that usually become apparent during infancy or childhood and are marked by delayed development or functional limitations especially in learning, language, communication, cognition, behavior, socialization, or mobility

Two to three babies in 1,000 have cerebral palsy (CP), making it one of the most common developmental disabilities.

—Melanie Howard

Autism is a complex developmental disability that affects how a person communicates and relates to other people.

—Braema Mathi

developmentally disabled adjective

developmentally disabled students

Examples of developmental disability in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lambs Farm is part of a recent expansion trend among area agencies serving people with developmental disabilities. —Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2025

Singer-songwriter Molly Burch left her music career behind to start Picnic Studio, a nonprofit art space for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities 1 Comments NEED TO KNOW Singer-songwriter Molly Burch quit music to start a nonprofit. —Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 20 May 2025

That could mean removing spending from public school meal programs for impoverished children, removing access to health care to people with developmental disabilities, or cutting Social Security payments to even the deficit. —Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025

House Bill 1067 asked for recommendations to eliminate barriers to employment and independence for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and to increase workforce participation for individuals participating in the program. —Arika Herron, Axios, 28 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for developmental disability

• ability
• agility
• civility
• debility
• docility
• ductility
• facility
• fertility
• fragility
• futility
• gentility
• hostility

Kids Definition

developmental disability

noun

: any of various conditions (as autism, cerebral palsy, or intellectual disability) that are marked by delayed or impaired development (as in learning, language, or mobility)

developmentally disabled adjective

Medical Definition

developmental disability

noun

: any of various conditions (as autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, blindness, or fragile X syndrome) that usually become apparent during infancy or childhood and are marked by delayed development or functional limitations especially in learning, language, communication, cognition, behavior, socialization, or mobility

Two to three babies in 1,000 have cerebral palsy (CP), making it one of the most common developmental disabilities.

—Melanie Howard

Autism is a complex developmental disability that affects how a person communicates and relates to other people.

—Braema Mathi

developmentally disabled adjective

developmentally disabled children