diabetes
pronunciation
How to pronounce diabetes in British English:
UK [ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz]
How to pronounce diabetes in American English:
US [ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz]
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- Noun:
- any of several metabolic disorders marked by excessive urination and persistent thirst
Word Origin
- diabetes
- diabetes: [16] Diabetes means literally ‘passing through’; it was originally so named in Greek because one of the symptoms of the disease is excessive discharge of urine. Greek diabétēs was a derivative of diabaínein ‘pass through’, a compound verb formed from the prefix dia- ‘through’ and baínein ‘go’ (a relative of English basis and come). English acquired it via medieval Latin diabētēs. Compare DIARRHOEA.=> basis, come
- diabetes (n.)
- 1560s, from medical Latin diabetes, from late Greek diabetes "excessive discharge of urine" (so named by Aretaeus the Cappadocian, physician of Alexandria, 2c.), literally "a passer-through, siphon," from diabainein "to pass through," from dia- "through" (see dia-) + bainein "to go" (see come). An old common native name for it was pissing evil. In classical Greek, diabainein meant "to stand or walk with the legs apart," and diabetes meant "a drafting compass," from the position of the legs.
Example
- 1. Children with asthma or diabetes are already being vaccinated .
- 2. This is called sugar diabetes .
- 3. Abnormal insulin levels cause diabetes .
- 4. Many diabetes symptoms are silent .
- 5. Diabetes is a legitimate health threat .