par ‧ a ‧ ple ‧ gic /ˌpærəˈpliːdʒɪk◂/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
someone who is unable to move the lower part of their body, including their legs ⇨ paralysed
—paraplegic adjective
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THESAURUS
▪ disabled not able to use a part of your body properly or not able to learn normally, because of a permanent problem:
Disabled people should have the same rights and choices as everyone else.
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Elaine is severely disabled and relies on 24 hour care.
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The charity provides opportunities and facilities for disabled people to take part in sport.
▪ special needs if someone has special needs, they have physical or mental disabilities:
a school for children with special needs
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A woman whose five-year-old son has special needs has accused her local education authority of failing to provide him with a decent eductation.
▪ learning difficulties/disabilities if someone has learning difficulties, they have difficulty learning basic skills or information:
A child’s behavioural problems may be associated with learning difficulties.
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special courses for students with moderate learning difficulties
▪ handicapped disabled – this word is old-fashioned and is now considered offensive. It is better to say that someone has learning difficulties or has special needs .
▪ wheelchair user someone who is in a wheelchair because they cannot walk:
There is easy access for wheelchair users.
▪ paraplegic someone who is unable to move the lower part of their body, including their legs:
He had a riding accident, which left him a paraplegic.
▪ quadriplegic someone who is permanently unable to move any part of their body below their neck