Dictionary
au•tism
Pronunciation: (ô'tiz-um), [key]—
n.
1. Psychiatry.a pervasive developmental disorder of children, characterized by impaired communication, excessive rigidity, and emotional detachment.
2. a tendency to view life in terms of one's own needs and desires.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.