insulin

noun

in·​su·​lin ˈin(t)-s(ə-)lən How to pronounce insulin (audio)
: a protein pancreatic hormone secreted by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans that is essential especially for the metabolism of carbohydrates and the regulation of glucose levels in the blood and that when insufficiently produced results in diabetes mellitus

Examples of insulin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Among the Biden administration’s accomplishments that need to be highlighted include job creation, capping insulin prices and protecting entitlements, Bejarano said. Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 The scientific applications of being able to implant genes for bioluminescence into other creatures are formidable: They could hypothetically be used to visualize tumor growth in lab animals, or insulin activity. Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2024 One such case occurred last year, when a wave of Humira biosimilars entered the market and drug companies slashed the list prices of their insulin products. Bob Herman, STAT, 18 Mar. 2024 Russia faces a shortage of important medications such as insulin, and for the first time in many years, the rate of alcoholism has gone up, a testament to the stress brought on by the country’s abnormality. Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 7 Mar. 2024 Both sets of drugs mimic a hormone known as GLP-1 that reduces appetite, causes people to feel full longer and affects insulin secretion. Meg Tirrell, CNN, 7 Mar. 2024 Biden took credit for lowering prescription drugs, and capping the cost of insulin for seniors on Medicare to $35 a month. Deirdre Walsh, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024 The company initially announced its plans for a new wearable device that caters to people not taking insulin during an investor presentation last year. Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024 Medtronic’s revenue of $8.1 billion in Q3 was up 5% y-o-y, partly due to higher sales of its MiniMed 780G systems, which anticipates and automatically adjusts insulin delivery. Trefis Team, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'insulin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin insula islet (of Langerhans), from Latin, island

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of insulin was in 1914

Dictionary Entries Near insulin

Cite this Entry

“Insulin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insulin. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

insulin

noun
in·​su·​lin ˈin(t)-s(ə-)lən How to pronounce insulin (audio)
: a hormone that is produced by the pancreas and is necessary for the normal use of glucose by the body

Medical Definition

insulin

noun
in·​su·​lin ˈin(t)-s(ə-)lən How to pronounce insulin (audio)
: a protein hormone that is synthesized in the pancreas from proinsulin and secreted by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans, that is essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, that regulates blood sugar levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose into tissues, by promoting its conversion into glycogen, fatty acids, and triglycerides, and by reducing the release of glucose from the liver, and that when produced in insufficient quantities results in diabetes mellitus see iletin

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