From the book
A Chymical Dictionary
Gerhard Dorn and John French · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordA surgical term for an outgrowth at the tongue’s root.
- A place to readThe historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 3; facsimile PDF page 331.
Historical definition
Amygdale, among surgeons, is the superfluous flesh growing at the root of the tongue.
Meaning
The qualification “among surgeons” places the word within a particular field of use. Its description is anatomical and evaluative: the tissue is regarded as superfluous. The entry does not identify a cause, specify a normal structure or provide a diagnosis. For that reason, it is more accurate to retain the described location and condition than to substitute a modern medical name. In a passage about surgery, this term points to what is observed and where, not by itself to how it should be treated.
Places to read
- AmygdaleRead the complete historical definition and its commentary.
Source note
Historical source. 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 3; facsimile PDF page 331 — Facsimile