noun Common

diabetes

deye-uh-BEE-teez

Diabetes (noun) means a metabolic disease in which the body can't produce or properly use insulin, resulting in high blood sugar. Example: “His doctor diagnosed him with type 2 diabetes after a routine blood test.”

noun

A metabolic disease in which the body can't produce or properly use insulin, resulting in high blood sugar.

"His doctor diagnosed him with type 2 diabetes after a routine blood test."

"She manages her diabetes with insulin injections and a careful diet."

How to use diabetes

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA long-term condition where the body struggles to control blood sugar levels.

Common mistake

Diabetes is uncountable in everyday use — say "she has diabetes," not "a diabetes."

Common pairings

type 1 diabetes type 2 diabetes manage diabetes diagnosed with diabetes

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His doctor diagnosed him with type 2 _____ after a routine blood test.

Etymology

From Latin diabetes ("siphon"), from Greek diabetes, from diabainein ("to pass through") — a reference to the excessive urination the disease causes.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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diabetes mellitus sugar diabetes

Frequently asked questions

What does “diabetes” mean?

The word “diabetes” means a metabolic disease in which the body can't produce or properly use insulin, resulting in high blood sugar. In plain terms, a long-term condition where the body struggles to control blood sugar levels.

How do you pronounce “diabetes”?

“Diabetes” is pronounced deye-uh-BEE-teez (/ˌdaɪəˈbitiz/ in IPA).

How do you use “diabetes” in a sentence?

Here is “diabetes” used in a sentence: “His doctor diagnosed him with type 2 diabetes after a routine blood test.”

What part of speech is “diabetes”?

“Diabetes” is a noun.

Where does the word “diabetes” come from?

The word “diabetes” comes from Latin.

Is “diabetes” a common word?

“Diabetes” is a fairly common word in modern English.

What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?

Both are forms of diabetes marked by high blood sugar, but in type 1 the body produces little or no insulin, while in type 2 the body cannot use insulin properly. Type 1 usually requires insulin, whereas type 2 is often managed with diet, medication, and lifestyle changes.

What is the difference between "diabetes" and "diabetic"?

"Diabetes" is the name of the metabolic disease itself, while "diabetic" is the adjective or noun describing a person who has it or something related to it. You would say "she has diabetes" but "he is diabetic" or "a diabetic diet."

Is "diabetes" singular or plural?

Although it ends in -s, "diabetes" is treated as a singular, uncountable noun and takes a singular verb, as in "diabetes is a serious condition." You do not add another -s or say "a diabetes."

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