echolalia

noun

echo·​la·​lia ˌe-kō-ˈlā-lē-ə How to pronounce echolalia (audio)
: the often pathological repetition of what is said by other people as if echoing them
echolalic adjective

Examples of echolalia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Up to 75% of people with autism experience echolalia and speech imitation.1 In most children, echolalia resolves by age 3. Carrie Madormo, Rn, Health, 7 Sep. 2024 Certainly, there are striking similarities, from the obsessive routines, to the echolalia (repeating what other people say), to the avoidance of eye contact, all classic symptoms of severe autism. Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 18 Nov. 2010 The stars again with their echolalia, their vanishing. Deborah Landau, The New Yorker, 20 June 2022 The repetition of speech is called echolalia and is a common sign of autism. Washington Post, 30 Apr. 2022 The flapping and the echolalia are not just oddities. David Dobbs, WIRED, 10 Feb. 2012

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'echolalia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

circa 1885, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of echolalia was circa 1885

Dictionary Entries Near echolalia

Cite this Entry

“Echolalia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/echolalia. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

echolalia

noun
echo·​la·​lia ˌek-ō-ˈlā-lē-ə How to pronounce echolalia (audio)
: the often pathological repetition of what is said by other people as if echoing them
echolalic adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on echolalia

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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