Pronunciation: - ' me-l ə -t ə s
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, literally, honey-sweet diabetes
Date: 1830
: a variable disorder of carbohydrate metabolism caused by a combination 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 the blood and urine, and by thirst, hunger, and loss of weight ― compare TYPE 1 DIABETES , TYPE 2 DIABETES