Tonsillotomy, the surgical procedure to remove a portion of the tonsils, may also be referred to as partial tonsillectomy or intracapsular tonsillectomy. These synonymous phrases indicate that only a part of the tonsil tissue is removed, leaving the majority of the tonsil intact. Another term to describe the same procedure is tonsillar reduction, which highlights the purpose of the surgery, which is to reduce the size of the tonsils. The term laser tonsillotomy may also be used to indicate that a laser is used in the procedure to accomplish the removal of the tonsil tissue.