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  

/ ˌdaɪəˈbiːtɪs, -tiːz /

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; see dia-

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Explanation

When a person has the medical condition called diabetes, the body can’t produce enough insulin to process the glucose in the blood. Diabetes has been known since the first century B.C.E., when a Greek physician, Aretus the Cappadocian, named it diabainein, meaning "a siphon," referring to the excessive urination associated with the disease. The word diabetes was first recorded in 1425, and in 1675, the Greek mellitus, “like honey,” was added, to reflect the sweet smell and taste of the patient’s urine. An unrelated and rare disorder, diabetes insipidus, is usually caused by a hormone deficiency.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

diabetes

Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes aged four, his overdue Grand Slam breakthrough was a reward for persistence and intense hard work.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

The area also has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the country; Nemorio Torres’ blindness is a complication of the disease.

From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2026

The researchers measured how many participants achieved diabetes remission after 24 weeks.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2026

Extreme heat is particularly dangerous to people with existing health conditions, as it worsens many conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma and dementia.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026

But Mollie’s diabetes seemed to have provided an even more devious way to deliver the poison.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

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