Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
autist

autist

1 9.9
An insulting word for someone who thinks and talks in a different way
  • noun
  • /ˈɔːtɪst/
  • Slur
: [término ofensivo para persona con autismo]
  • It's considered disrespectful to use the word autist casually in conversation, as it can perpetuate negative stereotypes.

Examples

  • Using the term autist in a derogatory manner can hurt the feelings of many individuals on the spectrum.

  • I am an autist.

    Blog text (14)

  • According to research by Simon Baron-Cohen, autists can't simulate other minds, or "put themselves in another person's shoes."

    Blog text (20)

  • Many people find the label autist to be stigmatizing and prefer to be referred to as autistic or a person with autism.

Antonyms

neurotypical
  • Specialized
1 7.5

A person who thinks and behaves in a usual way compared to people with autism or ADHD

Compounds

autist perspective
9.7

A way of seeing and understanding things from someone with autism

Surface Forms

autist singular
autists plural

Morphology

autist = autism (transparent) = autism + ist

Formed by the noun 'autism' + the agentive suffix '-ist', so a learner who knows 'autism' can infer 'person with autism'; the social derogatory connotation is not signalled by morphology.

Etymology

Autist comes from auto- and the medical word autism, where auto- means 'self', like in automatic. Today autist is an offensive slang word used to insult people with autism and is hurtful, so it should not be used.