mentally retarded

Adjective

mentally retarded (comparative more mentally retarded, superlative most mentally retarded)

1. (now potentially offensive) intellectually disabled, medically defined as having an IQ (intelligence quotient) below 70 in addition to deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors (which means having problems with basic functional skills that affect everyday, general living).
   • The European Roma Rights Centre in Budapest, which is representing the children - from the north-eastern city of Ostrava - said that the education ministry and local authorities had for decades "perpetuated a system which routinely brands disproportionate numbers of Gypsies as mentally retarded".2000 April 19, Kate Connolly, The Guardian
   • Per court rules, an original petition should be granted where "exceptional circumstances warrant the exercise of the court's discretionary powers" and "adequate relief cannot be obtained in any other form or from any other court." Given unanimous opinion that he is mentally retarded and thus...2013 July 14, Lindsay C. Harrison, “Save mentally retarded inmate from execution: Column”, in USA Today, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 15 Jul 2013, Opinion

   Synonyms:

   intellectually disabled, developmentally disabled, mentally challenged, special, developmentally delayed, retarded