#30: Moron — A Real Medical Diagnosis That Became a Playground Slur

The Why of Words

The Why of Words
#30: Moron — A Real Medical Diagnosis That Became a Playground Slur
May 15, 2026 Season 1 Episode 30
Explore the surprising origin of 'moron' — a word now used as a casual insult but originally a legitimate medical diagnosis. In 1910, American psychologist Henry Goddard coined this clinical term to classify intellectual disability, transforming it from medical vocabulary into everyday vernacular.

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