Definition of "tonsillectomy" [ton•sil•lec•to•my]

• Surgical removal of tonsils or a tonsil. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The fact that the largely discredited operation of tonsillectomy is still being done does not necessarily mean that it is performed because of the fee it brings."
• "A tonsillectomy is a good idea if your child has had a severe case of tonsillitis several times, because it will prevent any future rounds of the disease."
• "In Canada, gynecological surgery is a four - to 12-week wait, a tonsillectomy is a three - to"