diabetes
diabetes Lexical Profile
diabetes Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A chronic metabolic disorder (specifically diabetes mellitus) in which the body cannot properly produce or respond to the hormone insulin, resulting in elevated levels of glucose in the blood and urine.
"Regular physical exercise and a balanced diet are essential for managing type 2 diabetes."
Any of various medical disorders characterized by excessive thirst and the frequent excretion of large amounts of dilute urine, including diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus.
"The endocrinologist ordered blood and urine tests to determine which form of diabetes was causing the patient's symptoms."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although ending in '-s', 'diabetes' is an uncountable singular noun and always takes a singular verb. In everyday usage, 'diabetes' almost always refers specifically to diabetes mellitus rather than the much rarer diabetes insipidus.
• Rhymes for diabetes
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-16th century via Medical Latin from Ancient Greek 'diabetes', literally meaning 'a passer-through' or 'siphon', from 'diabainein' ('to pass through'), referring to the excessive discharge of urine characteristic of the condition.