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adenoids

British  
/ ˈædɪˌnɔɪdz /

plural noun

  1. Technical name: pharyngeal tonsil.  a mass of lymphoid tissue at the back of the throat behind the uvula: when enlarged it often restricts nasal breathing, esp in young children

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
adenoids Scientific  
/ ăd′n-oidz′ /

  1. The small mass of lymphoid tissue located at the back of the nasal cavity. Swelling of the adenoids can block breathing through the nose.

adenoids Cultural  

  1. Two masses of tissue at the junction of the nose and throat, which, like the tonsils, function in the lymphatic system. They help filter out harmful microorganisms that can cause infection. Continually swollen adenoids may interfere with breathing and affect speech.

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Swollen adenoids give a distinctive nasal sound to the voice.

Adenoids are sometimes surgically removed along with the tonsils if they are persistently inflamed (see inflammation).

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.

The most common procedures are the insertion of grommets in the ears, removal of tonsils and adenoids, and orthopaedic surgery.

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2024

In children, the culprit is frequently obstructions from the adenoids or tonsils, and the solution can be as simple as an operation.

From Salon • Oct. 12, 2021

He had his tonsils and adenoids removed when he was 6, which made his hospital stays less frequent and enabled him to play sports.

From Washington Post • Jul. 23, 2019

If she didn’t improve, her tonsils, adenoids and colon were next in line.

From New York Times • Oct. 17, 2014

His voice was slightly nasal, perhaps because he needed to have his tonsils and adenoids removed.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Definitions 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.