Disability, in the context of Social Security, refers to a physical or mental impairment that restricts an individual's ability to work. The U.S. Social Security Administration uses a strict definition of disability and pays Social Security disability benefits only to individuals who suffer from total disability (i.e. individuals that are unable to perform any kind of work).
Disability is a generic term; in its simplest form, it refers to the inability of a person to do something because of a mental or physical impairment. When the term is used in the context of Social Security, the definition used by U.S. Social Security Administration must be taken into account. The SSA considers an individual disabled and pays them Social Security disability benefits only if they satisfy each of the following three criteria: the individual cannot perform the work they did before; it is determined that the individual will be unable to perform any other work due to their medical condition; and the disability suffered by the individual has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year.