'tonsillolith' originates from modern medical Latin, specifically the combination of 'tonsilla' meaning 'tonsil' and Greek 'lithos' meaning 'stone'.

'tonsillolith' was formed in modern medical terminology by combining Latin and Greek roots to describe a stone in the tonsil, and has been used in English medical literature since the late 19th century.

Initially, it meant 'a stone in the tonsil', and this meaning has remained unchanged in modern usage.