A way of describing disability that involves putting the word person or peoplebefore the word disability or the name of a disability, rather than placing the disability first and using it as an adjective.Some examples of people-first language might include saying “person with a disability,” “woman with cerebral palsy” and “man with an intellectual disability.” The purpose of people-first language is to promote the idea that someone’s disability label is just a disability label—not the defining characteristic of the entire individual.

An Introductory Guide to Disability Language and Empowerment. (n.d.). Retrieved April 06, 2016, from http://sudcc.syr.edu/LanguageGuide/.