developmental disorder

noun

plural developmental disorders

: a condition (such as autism spectrum disorder or dyslexia) that is typically marked by delayed development or impaired function especially in learning, language, communication, cognition, behavior, socialization, or mobility : developmental disability

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the name for a group of developmental disorders that include a wide range of symptoms, skills and levels of disability.

—Meredith Moss

Examples of developmental disorder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The study involved 28 children being treated by a doctor in Germany for a range of developmental disorders, including autism. —Jon Hamilton, NPR, 22 Jan. 2026

Earlier research has suggested that pregnant women's exposure to air pollution more broadly, including smog spewed by vehicles, smoke stacks and lead, may be linked to the developmental disorder. —Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 20 Jan. 2026

Rett syndrome is another rare neurological and developmental disorder impacting brain development, mostly in females. —Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Jan. 2026

Cell size plays a critical role in conditions such as cancer, anemia, and developmental disorders. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for developmental disorder

• boarder
• border
• corder
• order
• warder
• camcorder
• recorder
• reorder
• suborder
• transborder

Medical Definition

developmental disorder

noun

: a condition (such as autism spectrum disorder or dyslexia) that is typically marked by delayed development or impaired function especially in learning, language, communication, cognition, behavior, socialization, or mobility : developmental disability