quinsy

• quinsey (obsolete)
• quinzy

From Old French quinencie, from Medieval Latin quinancia, from Ancient Greek κυνάγχη (kunánkhē, “canine quinsy”), from κύων (kúōn, “dog”) +‎ ἄγχω (ánkhō, “throttle”). Doublet of cynanche.

• IPA^(key): /ˈkwɪnzi/
• Rhymes: -ɪnzi

quinsy (countable and uncountable, plural quinsies)

1. (pathology) A peritonsillar abscess; a painful pus-filled inflammation or abscess of the tonsils and surrounding tissues, usually a complication of tonsillitis, caused by bacterial infection and often accompanied by fever.
   • 1891 [September, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Adventure III.—A Case of Identity.”, in Geo[rge] Newnes, editor, The Strand Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly, volume II (July to December), number [9], London: […], page 251, column 2:

     He'd had the quinsy and swollen glands when he was young, he told me, and it had left him with a weal throat, and a hesitating, whispering fashion of speech.

   • 2010, Gurdeep Singh Mannu, Tunde Odutoye, ENT MCQs for Medical Students: With Explanatory Answers, page 130:

     b False. Quinsies are found at the back of the throat on either side of the uvula along the tonsils.
     c True. A quinsy grows as it swells with pus. This space-occupying effect can push the uvula away from it towards the opposite side.

   • 2011, Kerryn Phelps, Craig Hassed, General Practice: The Integrative Approach, page 317:

     The patient may have cervical lymphadenopathy, trismus (moderate to severe increases suggestive of quinsy in acute setting), erythema of tonsils, crypt debris in tonsils or purulence of tonsils.

• (painful pus-filled inflammation or abscess of the tonsils and surrounding tissues): peritonsillar abscess, squinance (obsolete), squinancy (obsolete), squinzey (obsolete)

• squiny