SUBNORMALITY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does subnormality mean? 

• SUBNORMALITY (noun)
  The noun SUBNORMALITY has 2 senses:

1. the state of being less than normal (especially with respect to intelligence)

2. lack of normal development of intellectual capacities

  Familiarity information: SUBNORMALITY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SUBNORMALITY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The state of being less than normal (especially with respect to intelligence)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("subnormality" is a kind of...):

abnormalcy; abnormality (an abnormal physical condition resulting from defective genes or developmental deficiencies)

Derivation:

subnormal (below normal or average)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Lack of normal development of intellectual capacities

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

backwardness; mental retardation; retardation; slowness; subnormality

Hypernyms ("subnormality" is a kind of...):

stupidity (a poor ability to understand or to profit from experience)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "subnormality"):

abnormality; mental defectiveness (retardation sufficient to fall outside the normal range of intelligence)

mental deficiency; moronity (mild mental retardation)

amentia; idiocy (extreme mental retardation)

imbecility (retardation more severe than a moron but not as severe as an idiot)

Derivation:

subnormal (below normal or average)