Carbuncle

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• carbuncle — early 13c., fiery jewel, from O.N.Fr. carbuncle (O.Fr. charbocle) carbuncle stone, also carbuncle, boil, from L. carbunculus red gem, also red, inflamed spot, lit. a little coal, from carbo (gen. carbonis) coal (see CARBON (Cf. carbon)).… …   Etymology dictionary

• Carbuncle — Car bun*cle, n. [L. carbunculus a little coal, a bright kind of precious stone, a kind of tumor, dim. of carbo coal: cf. F. carboncle. See {Carbon}.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Min.) A beautiful gem of a deep red color (with a mixture of scarlet) called… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

• carbuncle — *abscess, boil, furuncle, pimple, pustule …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

• carbuncle — ► NOUN 1) a severe abscess or multiple boil in the skin. 2) a bright red gem, in particular a polished garnet. DERIVATIVES carbuncular adjective. ORIGIN Latin carbunculus small coal , from carbo coal, charcoal …   English terms dictionary

• carbuncle — [kär′buŋ΄kəl] n. [ME < OFr < L carbunculus, a little coal, gem < carbo: see CARBON] 1. a) Archaic any of certain deep red gems b) a smooth, convex, deep red garnet 2. a painful bacterial infection (esp. Staphylococcus aureus) deep… …   English World dictionary

• Carbuncle — A carbuncle is an abscess larger than a boil, usually with one or more openings draining pus onto the skin. It is usually caused by bacterial infection, most commonly Staphylococcus aureus. The infection is contagious and may spread to other… …   Wikipedia

• carbuncle — [13] Etymologically, a carbuncle is a ‘small piece of coal’. It comes ultimately from Latin carbunculus, a diminutive form of carbō ‘coal’ (source of English carbon). This reached English via Old French carbuncle. The Latin word had two main… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

• carbuncle — [13] Etymologically, a carbuncle is a ‘small piece of coal’. It comes ultimately from Latin carbunculus, a diminutive form of carbō ‘coal’ (source of English carbon). This reached English via Old French carbuncle. The Latin word had two main… …   Word origins

• carbuncle — /kahr bung keuhl/, n. 1. Pathol. a painful circumscribed inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue, resulting in suppuration and sloughing, and having a tendency to spread somewhat like a boil, but more serious in its effects. 2. a gemstone, esp. a …   Universalium

• carbuncle — UK [ˈkɑː(r)ˌbʌŋk(ə)l] / US [ˈkɑrˌbʌŋk(ə)l] noun [countable] Word forms carbuncle : singular carbuncle plural carbuncles 1) a big painful lump under your skin, caused by an infection 2) a red jewel 3) a building that is extremely unpleasant to… …   English dictionary