echolalia

Definition

The involuntary repetitive echoing of words or phrases spoken by another person; either immediate or delayed.

Etymology

From echo- + -lalia; echo- ultimately from Ancient Greek ἠχώ (ēkhṓ, “reflected sound, echo”), -lalia from λαλιά (laliá, “talk, chat”).

Example Sentences

• "Their echolalic responses may be much more extensive than the single words or short phrases that are characteristic of normal echolalia. Thus, a pseudoverbal autistic child may respond to "Do you want a cookie, Jimmy?" with a replication of the very same words."
• "There was the boom of a bass drum, and the voice of the orchestra leader rang out suddenly above the echolalia of the garden."