English Explanatory Dictionary

disability

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A condition characterised by a significant limitation in a person's physical or intellectual powers or ability.
  2. The state of having such a condition; the state of being disabled.
  3. A limitation in function (the things that a person can do or achieve) that is driven by any combination of their impairments (the medical facts about them) and the imperfect state of society's inaccessibility that sometimes fails to accommodate their needs.
  4. An inability.
  5. A lack of legal qualification to do something; legal incapacity or incompetency.
  6. Regular payments received by a disabled person, usually from the state.

Pronunciation

/dɪsəˈbɪlɪti/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-disability.wav

Word forms

disability disabilities

Etymology

Circa 1570 disable + -ity.

Synonyms

handicap disabledness incapacity impotence disqualification disability benefits

Antonyms

ability able-bodiedness capacity competency qualification

Related words

disable disabled disablism

Derived words

alpha-thalassemia-intellectual disability syndrome antidisability blepharophimosis-ptosis-intellectual disability syndrome cognitive disability developmental disability disability adjusted life year disability-adjusted life year disability dongle disability sport I have a disability intellectual disability learning disability multidisabilities multidisability neurodisability pan-disability predisability print disability
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