diabetes

American  

[dahy-uh-bee-tis, -teez] / ˌdaɪ əˈbi tɪs, -tiz /

noun

Pathology.

1. any of several disorders characterized by increased urine production.

2. Also called diabetes mellitus.  a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism, usually occurring in genetically predisposed individuals, characterized by inadequate production or utilization of insulin and resulting in excessive amounts of glucose in the blood and urine, excessive thirst, weight loss, and in some cases progressive destruction of small blood vessels leading to such complications as infections and gangrene of the limbs or blindness.

3. type 1 diabetes.

4. type 2 diabetes.

5. Also called diabetes insipidus.  increased urine production caused by inadequate secretion of vasopressin by the pituitary gland.

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diabetes British  

/ -tiːz, ˌdaɪəˈbiːtɪs /

noun

1. any of various disorders, esp diabetes mellitus, characterized by excretion of an abnormally large amount of urine

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Etymology

Origin of diabetes

First recorded in 1555–65; from New Latin, Latin, from Greek, equivalent to diabē- (variant stem of diabaínein “to go through, pass over,” equivalent to dia- “through” + baínein “to pass”) + -tēs agent suffix; dia-

Example Sentences

They both sell GLP-1 injections for obesity and Type 2 diabetes, in addition to the new oral GLP-1 pills for weight loss.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

That’s up from 3% at the start of the year, but relatively low compared with adoption among patients with Type 2 diabetes, which came in at around 26% last year.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

While its guidance focuses on heart health, the group’s report said its diet recommendations can also can help reduce the risk of other chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

It may also open the door to new treatments for sleep disorders linked to metabolic diseases like diabetes, as well as neurological conditions such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

And so it was Dr. van Veen, a couple of years later, who first discovered that Tante Jans had diabetes.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom