retardee

retardee

English

Etymology

retard +‎ -ee

Noun

retardee (plural retardees)

1. (dated, now offensive) A person with an intellectual disability.
   • 1961, Mississippi Department Reports (volume 2, page 42)

     There is still a large waiting list here at the hospital for Negro mental retardees to enter this institution. If we were to completely erase this waiting list, we would need approximately 400 more beds for the care of Negro mental retardees.

   • 1975, United States. National Advisory Council on Extension and Continuing Education, Program Evaluation, Title 1 of the Higher Education Act (page 76)

     Mental retardation specialists were beginning to realize that trained paraprofessionals were needed to provide adequate care to mental retardees.