neurodivergent

English

Etymology

From neuro- +‎ divergent. Coined by neurodiversity activist Kassiane Asasumasu in 2000.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌnjʊə.ɹəʊ.daɪˈvɜː.dʒənt/, /-dɪ-/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌnʊ.ɹoʊ.dɪˈvɜɹ.dʒənt/, /-daɪ-/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)dʒənt
• Hyphenation: neu‧ro‧di‧ver‧gent

Adjective

neurodivergent (comparative more neurodivergent, superlative most neurodivergent)

1. Having an atypical neurological configuration. [from early 21st c.]

   Synonyms: ND, neuroatypical, (uncommon) aneurotypical, neurodiverse, (colloquial) neurospicy

   Antonym: neurotypical

   • 2022, Joe Wells, Wired Differently, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, →ISBN, page 169:

     Neurodivergent people exist all over the world and in every class, gender, race and sexuality. On other planets there are probably neurodivergent aliens too […]

Usage notes

• Many discussions of neurodivergent people concern autism, but the term is not specific to solely that neurotype; it is hypernymic.

Related terms

• neurodivergence
• neurodiversity

Translations

having an atypical neurological configuration

• Finnish: neuroepätyypillinen (fi)
• French: neurodivergent (fr) m, neurodivergente (fr) f
• Dutch: neurodivergent (nl)
• German: neurodivergent
• Polish: neuroatypowy, neuroróżnorodny
• Portuguese: neurodivergente (pt) m or f
• Russian: нейроотли́чный m (nejrootlíčnyj), нейроразнообра́зный m (nejroraznoobráznyj)
• Spanish: neurodivergente (es)

Noun

neurodivergent (plural neurodivergents)

1. One who is neurodivergent.
   • 2024 March 1, Shobhana, “7 ways for neurodivergents to succeed in customer support”, in Hiver‎^[3]:

     A second input stream, like closed captions, gives neurodivergents at work a better understanding of the context.

Dutch

Etymology

From neuro- +‎ divergent. Calque of English neurodivergent.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Netherlands):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: neu‧ro‧di‧ver‧gent

Adjective

neurodivergent (comparative neurodivergenter, superlative neurodivergentst)

1. neurodivergent (having an atypical neurological configuration)

French

Etymology

From neuro- +‎ divergent. Calque of English neurodivergent.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nø.ʁɔ.di.vɛʁ.ʒɑ̃/

• Audio (France):

  (file)

Adjective

neurodivergent (feminine neurodivergente, masculine plural neurodivergents, feminine plural neurodivergentes)

1. neurodivergent (having an atypical neurological configuration)

   Synonym: neuroatypique

   Antonym: neurotypique