polydipsia

American

[pol-ee-dip-see-uh] / ˌpɒl iˈdɪp si ə /

noun

Medicine/Medical.

excessive thirst.

polydipsia British

/ ˌpɒlɪˈdɪpsɪə /

noun

pathol excessive thirst

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

polydipsic

adjective

Etymology

Origin of polydipsia

1650–60; < New Latin < Greek polydíps ( ios ) very thirsty ( poly- poly- + díps ( a ) thirst + -ios adj. suffix) + -ia -ia

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Polydipsia is an abnormal thirst; it may be seen in persons otherwise normal, or it may be associated with diseases—such as diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus.

From Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine by Pyle, Walter L. (Walter Lytle)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023