tonsil
Americannoun
-
tonsils
plural
noun
-
Also called: palatine tonsil. either of two small masses of lymphatic tissue situated one on each side of the back of the mouth
-
anatomy any small rounded mass of tissue, esp lymphatic tissue
Usage
What are tonsil stones? Tonsil stones are small yellow or white lumps embedded in the tonsils. They result from bacterial or fungal build-up that forms into a nasty-smelling—but generally—harmless mass. How do you pronounce tonsil stones?[ ton-suh l stohnz ]
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of tonsil
First recorded in 1595–1605, tonsil is from the Latin word tōnsillae (plural) the tonsils
Vocabulary lists containing tonsil
Human Anatomy and Physiology - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Human Anatomy and Physiology - High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Human Anatomy and Physiology - Middle School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
These included some types of limb surgery, kidney stone pain, pain following tonsil removal, and pain experienced by newborns using assisted breathing devices.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 9, 2026
In May 2022, the “Mooo!” rapper was forced to cancel her 2022 live dates after tonsil surgery.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2023
A number of health boards have had to postpone things like hip and knee replacements or some less urgent surgeries like gallstone or tonsil removal because they are so busy.
From BBC ● Jan. 19, 2023
Still, his March diagnosis of tonsil cancer was surprising.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 28, 2022
When the operation was half over, he had come out into the ante-room, grinning and waving one tonsil in a pair of forceps.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Sometimes it’s a decision that is complicated and scary, like surgery for those big tonsils or scoliotic spine.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 5, 2026
About £6m was spent in a single year on removing patients' tonsils.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2025
Doctors this year removed a small tumor in one of his tonsils.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 16, 2023
And they don’t have tonsils, which help detect pathogen molecules.
From Science Magazine ● Oct. 31, 2023
As it turned out, Ernestine’s tonsils were recessed and bigger than the doctor had expected.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
