Main Entry: diabetes mel·li·tus

Pronunciation: \-ˈme-lə-təs\

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