spastic
|spas-tic|
/ˈspæstɪk/
relating to spasm; uncontrolled, jerky movement
Etymology
'spastic' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'spastikos', where 'spasmos' meant 'a convulsion' or 'to draw, pull'.
'spastic' changed from the Greek adjective 'spastikos' (through medical Latin/Neo-Latin and modern European medical usage) and entered modern English in the mid-20th century as a clinical term referring to spasticity.
Initially, it meant 'relating to or marked by spasm'; over the 20th century it also acquired an informal slang sense meaning 'clumsy' or 'stupid', which is considered derogatory and offensive in current usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person with spasticity or spastic cerebral palsy (medical).
Historically, clinicians described a 'spastic' subtype of cerebral palsy.
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Noun 2
informal, offensive: a derogatory term for someone considered foolish, clumsy, or annoying (strongly offensive).
He called him a spastic, which caused an uproar because the term is offensive.
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Adjective 1
relating to or affected by spasm or spasticity (medical: involving involuntary muscle contractions).
The patient exhibited spastic paralysis in his left leg after the stroke.
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Adjective 2
informal, offensive: behaving in a jerky, clumsy, or uncontrolled way; used as a derogatory insult (considered offensive).
Using the word 'spastic' as an insult is insulting and unacceptable.
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Last updated: 2025/11/23 14:16