developmental disability
noun
plural developmental disabilities
: any of various conditions (such as autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, blindness, or fragile X syndrome) that usually become apparent during infancy or childhood and are marked by delayed development or functional limitations especially in learning, language, communication, cognition, behavior, socialization, or mobility
Two to three babies in 1,000 have cerebral palsy (CP), making it one of the most common developmental disabilities.—Melanie Howard
Autism is a complex developmental disability that affects how a person communicates and relates to other people.—Braema Mathi
developmentally disabled
adjective
developmentally disabled students
Cite this Entry
“Developmental disability.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/developmental%20disability. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
