autism
Pronunciation: /ˈɔːtɪz(ə)m/
noun
- a mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by great difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts.
- a mental condition in which fantasy dominates over reality, as a symptom of schizophrenia and other disorders.
Origin:
early 20th century: from Greek autos 'self' + -ism