
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Waldeyer's tonsillar ring
Introduction

Waldeyer’s tonsillar ring is an anatomical term describing the lymphoid tissue ring located in the pharynx.
It was named after the nineteenth century German anatomist Heinrich Wilhelm Gottfried von Waldeyer-Hartz.[1]
The ring consists of (from superior to inferior):
- Adenoids (also termed pharyngeal tonsils)
- Tubal tonsils
- Palatine tonsils (more commonly termed “the tonsils”, less commonly termed “faucial tonsils”)
- Lingual tonsils
