The Terms ‘Neurodivergent' and ‘Neurodiverse' are NOT Synonymous

One thing I see all the time online is people mistaking the terms "Neurodivergent" and "Neurodiverse" for each other and using them interchangeably. They actually aren't synonyms for each other and have their own separate meanings.

And no - before you say it - this is not an example of the Autistic community's tendency to be "politically correct" - anyone who reads my posts should know that this is not a major concern of mine. This is an Autistic tendency to be CORRECT, and perhaps a little fastidiously precise when using language.

So, individuals are often mistakenly described as 'Neurodiverse', which does NOT make sense, by definition. An easy way to understand this concept better is to remove the prefix "neuro". To describe one person as 'diverse' would make no sense. Populations can be diverse, whereas individuals cannot.

The term diversity is not exclusive to humans, either. Consider the term 'biodiversity', which is used to describe the rich variety in flora and fauna of a given area, such as the Mata Atlântica, for example.

Individuals CAN, however, be described as 'Neurodivergent'. This is correct English. A Neurodivergent individual is a person whose neurology/mind-body diverges from that of the predominant neurotype (AKA: Neurotypicals). To describe an individual as 'Neurodiverse' is just WRONG.

So, when is it valid to use the term "Neurodiverse"? Well, one can describe the global population as 'Neurodiverse'. It is! This goes without saying: Everyone's brain is different. Families can be Neurodiverse: "We are a neurodiverse family". Meaning: there are various neurotypes within the family.

Individuals cannot, by definition be described, as "Neurodiverse"; only "Neurodivergent".