How to Pronounce Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

Say it like this: non-IN-suh-lin deh-PEN-dent dy-ah-BEE-teez MEL-ih-tus. The stress falls on the second syllable of "insulin" (IN) and the second syllable of "dependent" (PEN). The word "diabetes" is pronounced with the stress on the third syllable (BEE).

Many people stress the first syllable of "insulin" (saying IN-suh-lin correctly) but then mispronounce "dependent" by stressing the first syllable instead of the second. Remember: it's deh-PEN-dent, not DEP-en-dent.

Break it into parts like this: non / IN-suh-lin / deh-PEN-dent / dy-ah-BEE-teez / MEL-ih-tus. Each part is easier to say when you separate it this way.

The word "insulin-dependent" means whether or not a person needs insulin injections to manage their condition. In this older term, "non-insulin-dependent" meant the person did not require insulin initially, unlike those with Type 1 diabetes who do need it.

The abbreviation is NIDDM, pronounced by saying each letter: N-I-D-D-M. You might also hear it called "Type 2 diabetes," which is the modern term doctors use instead of this longer phrase.

"Mellitus" comes from Latin and means "sweet" or "honeyed." It was used in the old name because one symptom of diabetes involves sweet-smelling urine, which doctors noticed centuries ago.

No, this term is outdated. Modern doctors and medical books now use "Type 2 diabetes mellitus" instead. However, you might still see NIDDM in older medical texts or hear it used by some healthcare providers, so it's helpful to understand what it means.

Here's an example: "The patient was diagnosed with Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus in 1995, but her doctor now refers to it simply as Type 2 diabetes."