Di`a*be"tes (?), n. [NL., from Gr. , fr. to pass or cross over. See Diabase.] Med.
A disease which is attended with a persistent, excessive discharge of urine. Most frequently the urine is not only increased in quantity, but contains saccharine matter, in which case the disease is generally fatal.
Diabetes mellitus [NL., sweet diabetes], that form of diabetes in which the urine contains saccharine matter. --the form of diabetes in which the urine contains no abnormal constituent.
© Webster 1913.