Diabetes Dictionary
Some terms listed have many meanings; only those meanings that relate to diabetes are included. Words that appear in bold italic are listed elsewhere in the dictionary.
Information in this dictionary is not a substitute for a visit to your doctor. Talk with a health professional if you have a problem with your diabetes.
The U.S. Government does not endorse or favor any specific commercial product or company. Trade, proprietary, or company names appearing in this document are used only because they are considered necessary in the context of the information provided. If a product is not mentioned, the omission does not mean or imply that the product is unsatisfactory.
Pronunciation Guide
This pronunciation guide uses letters and letter combinations, rather than phonetic symbols, to stand for the various sounds in the English language.
Vowels |
||
| a | cat, bat | |
| ah | father | |
| air | pear, hair | |
| ar | park | |
| ay | say, came, weigh | |
| aw | saw, bought | |
| e | bet, set | |
| eh | (used at the end of a syllable or when standing alone) examples: meadow (MEH-doh) enemy (EH-nuh-mee) but diet (DY-et) |
|
| ee | feet, neat | |
| i | sit, igloo | |
| ih | (used at the end of a syllable or when standing alone) examples: chicken (CHIH-ken) miracle (MIHR-ih-kuhl) but picnic (PIK-nik) |
|
| ihr | near, here | |
| y | fire, idol | |
| eye | (used at the beginning of a syllable or when standing alone) examples: iron (EYE-urn) chloride (KLOR-eyed) but silent (SY-luhnt) |
|
| o | hot, cot | |
| oh | coat, home | |
| oo | food, rude | |
| or | tore, soar, for | |
| oy | soil, boy | |
| ou | now, couch | |
| u | put, foot | |
| uh | about, sum, china | |
| ur | hurt, alert | |
| yoo | use | |
| yoor | cure | |
Consonants |
||
| b | bat, job | |
| ch | chop, itch | |
| d | dig, bed | |
| f | fur, tough, calf | |
| g | grape, big | |
| h | happy | |
| j | joke, nudge | |
| k | kite, car, tack | |
| l | lip, sell | |
| m | move, jam | |
| n | not, knee | |
| ng | ring | |
| p | play, hop | |
| r | rain, fur | |
| s | set, tips | |
| ss | bus, guess, fence | |
| sh | shy, fish | |
| t | toy, boat | |
| th | breath | |
| v | vine, have | |
| w | walk, where | |
| y | yes | |
| z | zip, jazz, has | |
| zh | measure | |
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National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse
1 Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892–3560
Phone: 1–800–860–8747
TTY: 1–866–569–1162
Fax: 703–738–4929
Email: ndic@info.niddk.nih.gov
Internet: www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov
The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Established in 1978, the Clearinghouse provides information about diabetes to people with diabetes and to their families, health care professionals, and the public. The NDIC answers inquiries, develops and distributes publications, and works closely with professional and patient organizations and Government agencies to coordinate resources about diabetes.
This publication is not copyrighted. The Clearinghouse encourages users of this publication to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired.
NIH Publication No. 10-3016
December 2009
