invalida

Invalida is the unaccented form of a word that, in Spanish and Portuguese, ordinarily appears with diacritics as inválida. The feminine form inválida can function as an adjective meaning not valid or disabled, and as a noun can historically refer to a disabled person. The corresponding masculine forms are inválido (adjective) and inválido/invalid for reference, depending on gender.

Etymology and meaning were shaped by Latin invalidus, meaning not strong or not effective. In contemporary usage, the meaning is context dependent and can refer to legal validity or physical/functional status. The distinction between non- validity and disability is language-specific and can carry different social implications.

In Spanish, inválida commonly means not valid (for example, a documento inválido means an invalid document). It can also refer to a female who is disabled, though this usage is considered outdated or insensitive in modern terminology; many speakers prefer expressions like “persona con discapacidad.” In Portuguese, inválida carries the same dual sense: not valid or a disabled woman, with modern usage favoring person-first language such as “pessoa com deficiência.”

In practice, the unaccented form invalida is rarely used correctly in standard Spanish or Portuguese orthography and is typically the result of typing without diacritics. When encountered in English texts, the intended meaning is usually inferred from context and the proper equivalents are often “invalid” (not valid) or “disabled person,” depending on the sense.

See also: inválido, inválida, invalidation, disability terminology.