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.

Examples of mental retardation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Whether autism is really less neurological than mental retardation, is a good question. —Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 7 Apr. 2011

State focusses on the example of the gene CNTNAP2, variants in which have been linked to (deep breath): epilepsy, mental retardation, autism, social anxiety, schizophrenia and Tourette's. —Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 10 May 2011

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

Phenylalanine builds up to toxic levels in the body, leading to mental retardation. —Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 30 Apr. 2010

He was born with argininosuccinic aciduria, which occurs in one in 70,000 babies, and can lead to mental retardation, seizures, coma and death. —Mark Johnson, jsonline.com, 29 Apr. 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

As autism diagnoses increased, diagnoses of mental retardation and other learning disabilities decreased. —Rachel Burr Gerrard, STAT, 13 Feb. 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

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

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.