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Diabetes mellitus

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di⋅a⋅be⋅tes

[dahy-uh-bee-tis, -teez]
–noun Pathology.
1. any of several disorders characterized by increased urine production.
2. Also called diabe⋅tes mel⋅li⋅tus [mel-i-tuhs, muh-lahy-] . 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. Also called Type I diabetes, insulin-dependent diabetes, juvenile diabetes. a severe form of diabetes mellitus in which insulin production by the beta cells of the pancreas is impaired, usually resulting in dependence on externally administered insulin, the onset of the disease typically occurring before the age of 25.
4. Also called Type II diabetes, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, adult-onset diabetes, maturity-onset diabetes. a mild, sometimes asymptomatic form of diabetes mellitus characterized by diminished tissue sensitivity to insulin and sometimes by impaired beta cell function, exacerbated by obesity and often treatable by diet and exercise.
5. Also called diabe⋅tes in⋅sip⋅i⋅dus [in-sip-i-duhs] . increased urine production caused by inadequate secretion of vasopressin by the pituary gland.

Origin:
1555–65; < NL, L < Gk, equiv. to diabē- (var. s. of diabaínein to go through, pass over, equiv. to dia- dia- + baínein to pass) + -tēs agent suffix
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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diabetes mel·li·tus   (mə-lī'təs, měl'ĭ-)   
n.  
  1. A severe, chronic form of diabetes caused by insufficient production of insulin and resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. The disease, which typically appears in childhood or adolescence, is characterized by increased sugar levels in the blood and urine, excessive thirst, frequent urination, acidosis, and wasting. Also called insulin-dependent diabetes, type 1 diabetes.

  2. A mild form of diabetes that typically appears first in adulthood and is exacerbated by obesity and an inactive lifestyle. This disease often has no symptoms, is usually diagnosed by tests that indicate glucose intolerance, and is treated with changes in diet and an exercise regimen. Also called non-insulin-dependent diabetes, type 2 diabetes.


[New Latin diabētēs mellītus : Latin diabētēs, diabetes + Latin mellītus, honey-sweet.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

diabetes mellitus [(deye-uh-bee-teez, deye-uh-bee-tuhs mel-uh-tuhs)]

A chronic disease in which carbohydrates cannot be metabolized properly (see metabolism) because the pancreas fails to secrete an adequate amount of insulin. Without enough insulin, carbohydrate metabolism is upset, and levels of sugar in the blood rise.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

diabetes 
1562, from L. diabetes, from Gk. diabetes "excessive discharge of urine," lit. "a passer-through, siphon," from diabainein "to pass through," from dia- "through" + bainein "to go" (see come). An old native name for it was pissing evil. The noun diabetic is from 1840.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: di·a·be·tes
Pronunciation: "dI-&-'bEt-Ez, -'bEt-&s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural diabetes
: any of various abnormal conditions characterized by the secretion and excretion of excessive amounts of urine; especially : DIABETES MELLITUS

Main Entry: diabetes mel·li·tus
Pronunciation: -'mel-&t-&s
Function: noun
: a variable disorder of carbohydrate metabolism caused by acombination of hereditary and environmental factors and usually characterized by inadequate secretion or utilization of insulin, by excessive urine production, by excessive amounts of sugar in theblood and urine, and by thirst, hunger, and loss of weight —see INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETESMELLITUS NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES MELLITUS
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

diabetes di·a·be·tes (dī'ə-bē'tĭs, -tēz)
n.
Any of several metabolic disorders marked by excessive discharge of urine and persistent thirst, especially one of the two types of diabetes mellitus.

diabetes mellitus diabetes mel·li·tus (mə-lī'təs, měl'ĭ-)
n.

  1. A severe, chronic form of diabetes caused by insufficient production of insulin and resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. The disease typically appears in childhood or adolescence and is characterized by increased sugar levels in the blood and urine, excessive thirst, frequent urination, acidosis, and wasting. Also called insulin-dependent diabetes, type I diabetes.

  2. A mild form of diabetes that typically appears first in adulthood and is exacerbated by obesity and an inactive lifestyle. This disease often has no symptoms, is usually diagnosed by tests that indicate glucose intolerance, and is treated with changes in diet and an exercise regimen. Also called adult-onset diabetes, late-onset diabetes, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, type II diabetes.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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