Neurotype

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An individual's particular pattern of neurological function and cognitive wiring, especially whether they are neurotypical or neurodivergent
2. A person's distinctive neurological and mental processing style, reflecting their brain's structural and functional characteristics
3. Someone's inherent neurological profile and the way their brain is organized to process information and respond to stimuli

Etymology: "Neurotype" is a plain modern compound, built from "neuro-", the combining form from Greek "neuron" meaning "sinew, nerve," and "type," from Greek "typos," meaning "impression, blow, or model." Put together, the sense is a kind of pattern or model of how a nervous system is wired and functions. The word's power comes from how it is used today. It is most often applied to neurodivergent people, describing a person's cognitive style, such as being autistic or having ADHD, as one variety of human brain organization rather than a deviation from a single norm. Because "type" carries the older sense of an impression or stamp, the term frames neurological difference as a recognizable pattern rather than a defect.

Synonyms: neurological type