Diabetes \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.

Diabetes insipidus [NL., lit., diabetes], the form of diabetes in which the urine contains no abnormal constituent.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)