diabetic

1 of 2

adjective

di·​a·​bet·​ic ˌdī-ə-ˈbe-tik How to pronounce diabetic (audio)
1
: of or relating to diabetes or diabetics
2
: affected with diabetes
3
: occurring in or caused by diabetes
diabetic coma
4
: suitable for diabetics
diabetic food

diabetic

2 of 2

noun

: a person affected with diabetes

Examples of diabetic in a Sentence

Adjective new drugs for treating diabetic patients
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Porat also highlighted a screening effort in the Global South for diabetic retinopathy, a diabetes complication that can cause blindness if it isn’t caught early. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026 Seven months later, the journal JAMA Ophthalmology did publish research showing higher rates of NAION among diabetic patients taking Ozempic, or semaglutide, as the active ingredient name is known. — Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 10 Oct. 2026
Noun
There is a lot of research showing GLP-1s help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce bad outcomes for diabetics. — Bo Evans, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026 The idea is to not only provide an actionable warning system, but to do so in a way that’s already familiar to diabetics. — Victoria Song, The Verge, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for diabetic

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from Medieval Latin diabēticus, from Late Latin diabētēs diabetes + -icus -ic entry 1

Noun

borrowed from Medieval Latin diabēticus, noun derivative of diabēticus diabetic entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1702, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1763, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of diabetic was in 1702

Rhymes for diabetic

See All Rhymes for diabetic

Browse Nearby Words

diabetes mellitus
diabetic
diabetogenic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Diabetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diabetic. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

diabetic

1 of 2 adjective
di·​a·​bet·​ic ˌdī-ə-ˈbet-ik How to pronounce diabetic (audio)
: of, relating to, or having diabetes
a diabetic person

diabetic

2 of 2 noun
: a person who has diabetes

Medical Definition

diabetic

1 of 2 adjective
di·​a·​bet·​ic ˌdī-ə-ˈbet-ik How to pronounce diabetic (audio)
1
: of or relating to diabetes or diabetics
2
: affected with diabetes
3
: occurring in or caused by diabetes
a diabetic coma
4
: suitable for diabetics
diabetic food

diabetic

2 of 2 noun
: a person affected with diabetes
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