diabete

diabetes

noun dyah-BEH-teh Rare

Origin: From Greek diabētēs, a siphon (referring to excessive urination).

Usage Note

Diabete is a singular back-formation occasionally seen in colloquial or older Spanish, but the standard medical term is diabetes (with the final -s even in the singular). The standard form is feminine: la diabetes. Learners should use diabetes in all contexts; diabete may appear in informal speech or historical texts.

Examples

"Le diagnosticaron diabetes a los cuarenta años."

Natural Translation

He was diagnosed with diabetes at forty.

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