hyperglycemia

noun

hy·​per·​gly·​ce·​mia ˌhī-pər-glī-ˈsē-mē-ə 

: excess of sugar in the blood

hyperglycemic

ˌhī-pər-glī-ˈsē-mik 

adjective

Examples of hyperglycemia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes mellitus — a group of diseases associated with high blood sugar, called hyperglycemia. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 27 Feb. 2026

Prince’s cause of death was fentanyl, with cardiovascular disease, a history of drug use, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and hyperglycemia listed as significant contributing conditions, according to the coroner’s report. —Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 10 Feb. 2026

The cause and the mechanism behind this link isn’t known, but prenatal metabolic factors — hyperglycemia in particular — have been implicated in fetal brain development in ways the authors suggest might influence epilepsy. —Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 4 Feb. 2026

Past research suggests that hyperglycemia increases amyloid beta accumulation in the brain, which has been linked with Alzheimer’s. —Julia Ries Wexler, Health, 30 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French hyperglycémie, from hyper- hyper- + glycémie glycemia

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hyperglycemia

• academia
• acidemia
• azotemia
• bacteremia
• hyperaemia
• hyperemia
• hypoxemia
• septicaemia
• septicemia
• thalassaemia
• thalassemia
• tularemia

Medical Definition

hyperglycemia

noun

hy·​per·​gly·​ce·​mia

variants or chiefly British hyperglycaemia

ˌhī-pər-glī-ˈsē-mē-ə 

: an excess of sugar in the blood

hyperglycemic adjective

or chiefly British hyperglycaemic

-mik