diabetic

1 of 2

adjective

di·​a·​bet·​ic ˌdī-ə-ˈbe-tik 

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

Adjective

The rate of prescriptions for semaglutide, the medication sold as Ozempic and Wegovy, taken as an anti-diabetic medication was surpassed by Tirzepatide anti-diabetic prescription rates in early 2025. —Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026

Javadi and Ogilvie have a real nerd-off when Orlando Diaz is brought into the hospital unconscious, showing signs of diabetic ketoacidosis. —Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026

Noun

Trump’s immigration crackdown is keeping Minnesota patients from seeking medical care, with pregnant women avoiding prenatal visits and diabetics afraid to pick up insulin. —Tim Sullivan, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026

There was the diabetic afraid to pick up insulin, the patient with a treatable wound that festered and required a trip to the intensive care unit, and the hospital staffers — from Latin America, Somalia, Myanmar and elsewhere — too scared to come to work. —Tim Sullivan, Twin Cities, 20 Jan. 2026

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

Rhymes for diabetic

• alphabetic
• anaesthetic
• anesthetic
• antithetic
• apathetic
• arithmetic
• cybernetic
• dietetic
• diuretic
• empathetic
• energetic
• geodetic

Kids Definition

diabetic

1 of 2 adjective

di·​a·​bet·​ic ˌdī-ə-ˈbet-ik 

: 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 

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