Definition

A health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. It can lead to type 2 diabetes if not managed properly.

Example

The doctor told me I have prediabetes and need to change my diet to avoid developing diabetes.

Conversation

I just found out my doctor said I have prediabetes.

Oh no, that sounds serious! What does that mean for you?

It means I need to watch my diet and exercise more.

That makes sense — it's great that you caught it early!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Prediabetes → It is formed from "pre-" (meaning before) and "diabetes" (from Greek "sūvātes", meaning siphon or to pass through, referring to the condition of excessive urination). The term "prediabetes" indicates a state that occurs before the onset of diabetes, characterized by higher than normal blood sugar levels but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.

Memory Tip

Think of 'pre-' meaning before, and 'diabetes' referring to a condition of passing through (in this case, sugar in urine). This helps you remember that prediabetes is a condition that comes before diabetes.

Visually Confused Words