Therapeutic or Preventive Procedure
tonsillectomy Audio
ton·sil·lec·to·my [ ton-suh-lek-tuh-mee ]
Subclass of:
Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures
Etymology:
Latin tonsilla = tonsil + Greek ektome = a cutting out
Definitions related to tonsillectomy:
  • Surgical removal of a tonsil or tonsils. (Dorland, 28th ed)
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • Surgical removal of the tonsils.
    NCI
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • Although a long-practiced procedure, tonsillectomy is still a common operation and considered one of the most common major surgical procedure performed in children. This procedure is still surrounded by controversy, especially regarding indications for surgery and details of surgical technique.">
    Medscape
    WebMD, 2025
  • Tonsillectomy (ton-sih-LEK-tuh-me) is the surgical removal of the tonsils, two oval-shaped pads of tissue at the back of the throat - one tonsil on each side.
    Mayo Clinic
    Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2025
Try this search on: Farlex, Merriam-Webster, Oxford Dictionary, or Wordnik

This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.