insulin

noun

in·su·lin ˈin(t)-s(ə-)lən

: a protein pancreatic hormone secreted by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans that is essential especially for the metabolism of carbohydrates and the regulation of glucose levels in the blood and that when insufficiently produced results in diabetes mellitus

Examples of insulin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Berberine, an alkaloid found in various plants, has been studied for its potential benefits in managing blood sugar levels and improving insulin sensitivity. —

Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 12 Sep. 2023 Drugs for Type 2 diabetes work in different ways, including lowering blood sugar, increasing insulin sensitivity and increasing insulin production. —

Linda Carroll, NBC News, 7 Sep. 2023 Aerobic exercise has been shown to improve lipid profiles (increasing HDL/good cholesterol levels), per World Journal of Cardiology research, and insulin sensitivity, according to research published in Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. —

Megan Falk, Women's Health, 4 Sep. 2023 Research from the British Journal of Nutrition shows the complex carbohydrates in oats can help improve insulin sensitivity. —

Perri O. Blumberg, Men's Health, 30 Aug. 2023 In addition, the law already caps out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 a month for Medicare patients. —

Tom Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2023 The law also capped Medicare recipients' out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 a dose beginning this year. —

Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 29 Aug. 2023 The law also caps out-of-pocket spending on insulin at $35 per month for Medicare recipients. —

Robert Weisman, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2023 In speech after speech, Mr. Biden talks about capping the cost of insulin at $35, putting new limits on medical expenses for seniors, making some vaccines free and pushing to lower the prices of some of the most expensive drugs in the world. —

Michael D. Shear, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'insulin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin insula islet (of Langerhans), from Latin, island

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of insulin was in 1914

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Insulin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insulin. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

insulin

noun

in·su·lin ˈin(t)-s(ə-)lən

: a hormone that is produced by the pancreas and is necessary for the normal use of glucose by the body

Medical Definition

insulin

noun

in·su·lin ˈin(t)-s(ə-)lən

: a protein hormone that is synthesized in the pancreas from proinsulin and secreted by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans, that is essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, that regulates blood sugar levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose into tissues, by promoting its conversion into glycogen, fatty acids, and triglycerides, and by reducing the release of glucose from the liver, and that when produced in insufficient quantities results in diabetes mellitus see iletin