retardee: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowArchaic, Offensive
Quick answer
What does “retardee” mean?
A person with intellectual disability or significantly delayed cognitive development.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person with intellectual disability or significantly delayed cognitive development.
A person who is perceived as being slow in mental or physical development.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Neither British nor American English use this term in contemporary standard language. Historically, American clinical and legal documents may have used it slightly later than British counterparts before it was phased out.
Connotations
Strongly offensive and dehumanizing in both dialects.
Frequency
Extremely rare and found almost exclusively in historical texts or as a deliberate insult.
Grammar
How to Use “retardee” in a Sentence
[be classified as] + retardeeVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “retardee” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [The verb form 'retard' exists but is separate and also sensitive; example unrelated to 'retardee': The cold weather retarded the growth of the plants.]
American English
- [The verb form 'retard' exists but is separate and also sensitive; example unrelated to 'retardee': Additives are used to retard the combustion process.]
adverb
British English
- [No direct adverbial form derived from 'retardee'.]
American English
- [No direct adverbial form derived from 'retardee'.]
adjective
British English
- [The adjective is 'retarded', now offensive; example for historical context only: In the 1950s, a child might have been labelled 'mentally retarded'.]
American English
- [The adjective is 'retarded', now offensive; example for historical context only: The 1973 law used the term 'mentally retarded' in its original text.]
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never used.
Academic
Never used in contemporary academic writing. Found only in historical or critical discussions of terminology.
Everyday
Extremely offensive if used; completely unacceptable.
Technical
Obsolete in medical, psychological, and educational fields. Replaced by precise, respectful diagnostic descriptions.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “retardee”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “retardee”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “retardee”
- Using this term to describe anyone.
- Thinking it is a neutral clinical term.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is considered archaic, derogatory, and offensive in all contemporary contexts.
Use person-first, respectful language such as 'a person with an intellectual disability' or 'a person with a developmental delay,' depending on the specific context.
It reduces a person to a single, stigmatizing characteristic and was historically used to label, segregate, and dehumanize individuals. It has been widely used as a hurtful insult.
It may appear in some comprehensive dictionaries with strong usage warnings labeling it as offensive and dated. Many modern learner's dictionaries omit it entirely.
A person with intellectual disability or significantly delayed cognitive development.
Retardee is usually archaic, offensive in register.
Retardee: in British English it is pronounced /ˌrɛtɑːˈdiː/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌrɛtɑːrˈdiː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No contemporary idioms; historical/offensive use only]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
HISTORICAL TERM: Think 'RETARD' + '-ee' (like 'employee' but for a person affected by retardation). DO NOT USE.
Conceptual Metaphor
[No productive conceptual metaphor; the term itself is a stigmatizing label]
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary reason for not using the word 'retardee'?