Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
⬇️ Below normal 🚫 A disabled person
subnormal

subnormal

9.9
An old offensive word for a person with a learning disability
  • noun
  • /sʌbˈnɔrməl/
  • Slur
translation icon : subnormal
  • Three weeks before I left America, Congress passed a bill making upgrading compulsory for all subnormals.

Examples

  • The school provided additional support for subnormals to help them succeed academically.

  • Many organizations advocate for the rights of subnormals to ensure they receive fair treatment.

  • All of those were clinical terms for someone with subnormal IQ until they became indoctrinated.

  • In the past, people referred to individuals with intellectual disabilities as subnormals in clinical settings.

Synonyms

subaverage
vssubnormal
  • Offensive
8.3

A person or thing people see as below the normal level in ability and quality

refers specifically to low intellectual ability and is dated and offensive

Compounds

subnormal intelligence
  • Archaic
7.9

Thinking ability that is much lower than most people's and shown by standard tests

How Intelligent

adult intelligence
  • Specialized
5.0
borderline intelligence
  • Specialized
8.0
subnormal
  • Slur
9.9

Surface Forms

subnormal singular
subnormals plural

Morphology

subnormal = subnormal (semi-transparent) = sub + normal

The word is built transparently from sub- + normal, but the noun use as a dated offensive label for a person is lexicalized rather than a fully compositional nominal meaning.

Etymology

Subnormal as a noun comes from sub- 'under' plus normal 'usual' and was used to call someone 'below' the usual mental level. A helpful note: this noun use is now dated and offensive, and it is better to use respectful phrases like 'a person with an intellectual disability'.