adjective
ableist
AY-buh-list
Ableist (adjective) means discriminating against disabled people, or assuming that being non-disabled is the normal and superior state. Example: “The building's design was criticised as ableist.”
adjective
1
Discriminating against disabled people, or assuming that being non-disabled is the normal and superior state.
"The building's design was criticised as ableist."
noun
1
A person who discriminates against disabled people.
"He was called out as an ableist."
How to use ableist
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPrejudiced against disabled people, often without meaning to be.
When to use it
Critical term. Frequently used of systems and language rather than individuals.
Easily confused with
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Etymology
From "able" plus "-ist," on the pattern of racist and sexist; the noun "ableism" and this adjective came into use through disability-rights activism in the late twentieth century.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for ableist
See all rhymes for ableist →Frequently asked questions
What does ableist mean?
Discriminating against disabled people, or treating non-disabled bodies and minds as the default. It covers open prejudice and, more often, assumptions built into language, design and policy.
What is an example of ableist language?
Using conditions as insults — calling a bad decision "insane," or a disliked idea "lame." Both borrow a disability as a synonym for something negative.
What is the meaning of ableist?
"ableist" (adjective) means discriminating against disabled people, or assuming that being non-disabled is the normal and superior state.
What is another word for ableist?
Other words for "ableist" include discriminatory.
