diabetic

1 of 2

adjective

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
Doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs) treat all foot conditions ranging from toenails, bunions, fractures, and plantar fasciitis to serious diabetic foot complications that can lead to limb amputation. — Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026 Permanent brain damage that occurs with severe diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state is also not reversible. — HEALTH, 23 Sep. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Diabetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diabetic. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

diabetic

1 of 2 adjective
: 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
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!