diabetic
/ˌdaɪəˈbɛtɪk/adjective, noun
diabetic is spelled D-I-A-B-E-T-I-C: 8 letters and 4 syllables. It appears 2.8 times per million words in written English, the 16,005th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, diabetic means “Of or pertaining to diabetes, especially diabetes mellitus” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in diabetic?
| Letters | 8: D-I-A-B-E-T-I-C |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 2.8 times per million words; the 16,005th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is diabetic?
Diabetic appears 2.8 times per million words in written English, the 16,005th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce diabetic?
- UK /daɪəˈbɛtɪk/
- US /ˌdaɪəˈbɛtɪk/
- US [ˌdaɪəˈbɛɾɪk]
Diabetic has 4 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-I_learned_some_phrases-diabetic.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with diabetic?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as diabetic from its last stressed vowel (/ɛtɪk/):
- magnetic
- cosmetic
- energetic
- poetic
- electromagnetic
- kinetic
- arithmetic
- prosthetic
- apologetic
- empathetic
- phylogenetic
- apathetic
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of diabetic
- more diabetic comparative
- most diabetic superlative
- diabetics plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does diabetic mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Of or pertaining to diabetes, especially diabetes mellitus.
diabetic complications
- 2
Having diabetes, especially diabetes mellitus.
diabetic patients (patients with diabetes)
- 3
Suitable for one having diabetes, especially diabetes mellitus.
diabetic socks
noun
- 1
A person with diabetes, usually diabetes mellitus.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Diabetic in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | diabétique |
| German | Diabetiker- , zuckerkrank , diabetisch , Diabetiker, Diabetikerin |
| Portuguese | diabético |
| Spanish | diabético, diabetológico |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does diabetic come from?
From diabetes + -ic. Doublet of diabatic.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).