noun
tonsillectomy
tahn-suh-LEK-tuh-mee
Tonsillectomy (noun) means a surgical operation to remove the tonsils, most often the palatine tonsils. Example: “The surgeon recommended a tonsillectomy after repeated bouts of tonsillitis.”
noun
1
A surgical operation to remove the tonsils, most often the palatine tonsils.
"The surgeon recommended a tonsillectomy after repeated bouts of tonsillitis."
"Recovery from a tonsillectomy can take up to two weeks."
"Children sometimes have a tonsillectomy alongside an adenoidectomy."
How to use tonsillectomy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn operation to take out the tonsils.
When to use it
It's a clinical, medical term used by doctors and in healthcare information rather than everyday speech.
Memory tip
Don't confuse tonsillectomy (the operation to remove the tonsils) with tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils).
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
undergo a tonsillectomy
recover from a tonsillectomy
have a tonsillectomy
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Fill the gap
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The surgeon recommended a _____ after repeated bouts of tonsillitis.
Etymology
Tonsillectomy is built from tonsil and the medical suffix -ectomy, which means the surgical removal of something.
Rhymes for tonsillectomy
roomy
gloomy
sodomy
economy
anatomy
taxonomy
antinomy
autonomy
lobotomy
dichotomy
astronomy
colostomy
See all rhymes for tonsillectomy →
Frequently asked questions
What is a tonsillectomy?
It is a surgical operation to remove the tonsils, usually the palatine tonsils at the back of the throat.
Is a tonsillectomy often done with another procedure?
It is frequently carried out alongside an adenoidectomy, the removal of the adenoids.
How is the word tonsillectomy formed?
It combines tonsil with the suffix -ectomy, which denotes surgical removal, in the same way as many other operation names.
What is the meaning of tonsillectomy?
"tonsillectomy" (noun) means a surgical operation to remove the tonsils, most often the palatine tonsils.
