neurotypical

IPA/ˌnjʊərəʊˈtɪpɪkl/
IPA/ˌnʊrəʊˈtɪpɪkl/

neurotypical — adjective

  • neurotypicalpositive
  • more neurotypicalcomparative
  • most neurotypicalsuperlative

1. having the pattern of thinking, learning, and social behavior that is generally

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

having the pattern of thinking, learning, and social behavior that is generally treated as usual, rather than one linked to conditions such as autism

Example

The camp paired neurotypical teens with autistic teens for group projects.

neurotypical + people noun in contrast with autistic peers

At the clinic, parents compared neurotypical milestones with their son's progress.

neurotypical milestones in developmental comparison

Common collocations
  • neurotypical child
  • neurotypical adults
  • neurotypical milestones
  • neurotypical peers
Synonyms
  • typically developing

    More common in clinical or educational discussion of children and development

  • non-autistic

    Narrower because it only contrasts with autism, not with the wider neurodivergent group

Antonyms
  • neurodivergent

    Broader opposite term for people whose brain development or processing differs from the usual pattern

  • autistic

    A specific neurodivergent group, not a full opposite in every context

Grammar Patterns

be neurotypical

neurotypical child

neurotypical adults

neurotypical and neurodivergent

Usage Note

Usually describes people, children, adults, or development patterns. In contrastive discussion, it often appears beside neurodivergent to compare how two groups experience the same setting.

Common Mistakes

The office is neurotypical.
Most people in the office are neurotypical.
Use neurotypical for people or their development, not for a building or organization itself.

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • be neurotypical
  • neurotypical and neurodivergent
  • neurotypical child
  • neurotypical adults