tonsillitis

American  

[ton-suh-lahy-tis] / ˌtɒn səˈlaɪ tɪs /

noun

Pathology.

1. inflammation of a tonsil or the tonsils.

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tonsillitis British  

/ ˌtɒnsɪˈlaɪtɪs /

noun

1. inflammation of the palatine tonsils, causing enlargement, occasionally to the extent that they nearly touch one another

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tonsillitis Scientific  

/ tŏn′sə-lī′tĭs /

1. Inflammation of the tonsils, usually caused by bacterial infection.

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tonsillitis Cultural  

1. An inflammation of the tonsils, sometimes the result of a bacterial infection.

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Other Word Forms

• tonsillitic
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of tonsillitis

First recorded in 1795–1805; from Latin tōnsill(ae) “tonsils” + -itis

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Compare meaning

How does tonsillitis compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• pharyngitis vs. tonsillitis

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tonsillitis

"He lost his wife, baby, and his son - who should have been in school but had tonsillitis so was home. He lost his complete family."

From BBC ● Feb. 22, 2026

By the time Emma's son was 15, he was becoming breathless, contracted tonsillitis, and, at one point, was in so much pain, Emma called an ambulance.

From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2025

The parents of a five-year-old girl who was sent home from hospital with suspected tonsillitis hours before dying from meningitis have said they are still waiting for a direct apology from the hospital.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2025

As a child, he suffered from recurring tonsillitis, but as an adult, he enjoyed vigorous sports like hiking, polo and skiing.

From New York Times ● Feb. 5, 2024

Don Hume, Washington’s stroke, was just a few days out of the infirmary and still recovering from severe tonsillitis, but you wouldn’t have known it by watching the race.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

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