Amygdalitis

/ˌæmɪɡdəˈlaɪtɪs/ noun

Definition

Inflammation of the tonsils (amygdala), commonly called tonsillitis.

Etymology

From amygdala (almond/tonsil) + -itis (inflammation). The tonsils were named amygdalae because of their almond-like shape. The -itis suffix comes from Greek and became standard in medical terminology by the 18th century.

Kelly Says

Your tonsils earned their medical name because ancient anatomists thought they looked like almonds—so when you have a sore throat, you literally have 'almond inflammation!' This shows how physical appearance gave names to body parts long before we understood their function.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.