carbuncle

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car·bun·cle

(kär′bŭng′kəl)

1. A painful localized bacterial infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue that usually has several openings through which pus is discharged.

a. A red precious stone, especially a deep-red garnet cut as a cabochon.

b. A mythical gemstone said to emit light even in total darkness.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin carbunculus, small glowing ember, carbuncle, diminutive of carbō, carbōn-, coal; see ker- in Indo-European roots.]

car′bun′cled adj.

car·bun′cu·lar (-kyə-lər) adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

carbuncle

(ˈkɑːˌbʌŋkəl)

1. (Pathology) an extensive skin eruption, similar to but larger than a boil, with several openings: caused by staphylococcal infection

2. (Jewellery) a rounded gemstone, esp a garnet cut without facets

3. (Colours) a dark reddish-greyish-brown colour

[C13: from Latin carbunculus diminutive of carbō coal]

ˈcarˌbuncled adj

carbuncular adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

car•bun•cle

(ˈkɑr bʌŋ kəl)

n.

1. a local skin inflammation of deep interconnected boils.

2. a cabochon-cut garnet.

3. Obs. any rounded red gem.

[1150–1200; Middle English < Anglo-French < Latin carbunculus kind of precious stone, tumor, literally, live coal =carbōn-, s. of carbō burning charcoal + -culus -cule¹]

car′bun•cled, adj.

car•bun′cu•lar, adj.

Carbuncle

1. A large, deep boil.

2. A red gemstone, generally a ruby or a garnet. However, Sherlock Holmes once had a case involving a blue carbuncle.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	carbuncle - deep-red cabochon garnet cut without facets garnet - any of a group of hard glassy minerals (silicates of various metals) used as gemstones and as an abrasive
	2.	carbuncle - an infection larger than a boil and with several openings for discharge of pus staphylococcal infection - an infection with staphylococcus bacteria; usually marked by abscess formation

Translations

ántrax carbunco

carboucleescarboucle

carbonchio granato

carbuncle

[ˈkɑːbʌŋkl] N

1. (Med) → carbunc(l)o m

2. (= ruby) → carbúnculo m, carbunco m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

carbuncle

(Med) → Karbunkel m

(= jewel) → Karfunkel(stein) m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

carbuncle

[ˈkɑːˌbʌŋkl] n (Med) → foruncolo

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

car·bun·cle

n. carbunco, furúnculo, infl. con pus,

pop. avispero.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

carbuncle

n ántrax m, infección f de varios folículos pilosos cercanos

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References in classic literature ?

Sullivan, in his History of Maine, written since the Revolution, remarks, that even then the existence of the Great Carbuncle was not entirely discredited.

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In the Sketches from Memory Hawthorne gives an intimation of the tale which he might write and did afterward write of The Great Carbuncle. The paper is interesting as showing what were the actual experiences out of which he formed his imaginative stories.

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Van Tromp, in a suit of French country velveteens and with a remarkable carbuncle on his nose.

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Truth may perhaps come to the price of a pearl, that showeth best by day; but it will not rise to the price of a diamond, or carbuncle, that showeth best in varied lights.

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Stammato made Crioni a present of one of the state's principal jewels--a huge carbuncle, which afterward figured in the Ducal cap of state--and the pair parted.

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"Not the Countess of Morcar's blue carbuncle!" I ejaculated.

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This done, he drew from some concealed place a little scrap of looking-glass, and with its assistance arranged his hair, and ascertained the exact state of a little carbuncle on his nose.

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He would often spend a whole day settling and resettling in their cases the various stones that be had collected, such as the olive-green chrysoberyl that turns red by lamplight, the cymophane with its wirelike line of silver, the pistachio-coloured peridot, rose-pink and wine-yellow topazes, carbuncles of fiery scarlet with tremulous, four-rayed stars, flame-red cinnamon-stones, orange and violet spinels, and amethysts with their alternate layers of ruby and sapphire.

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And at the bottom, quite in the shade, where the details are absorbed in the obscurity, the mastiff, with his eyes glistening like carbuncles, and shaking his chain, on which the double light from the lamp of Rosa and the lantern of Gryphus threw a brilliant glitter.

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The fog still slept on the wing above the drowned city, where the lamps glimmered like carbuncles; and through the muffle and smother of these fallen clouds, the procession of the town's life was still rolling in through the great arteries with a sound as of a mighty wind.

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Suddenly there is presented to his sight a strong castle or gorgeous palace with walls of massy gold, turrets of diamond and gates of jacinth; in short, so marvellous is its structure that though the materials of which it is built are nothing less than diamonds, carbuncles, rubies, pearls, gold, and emeralds, the workmanship is still more rare.

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Here and there out of the darkness round me the Morlocks' eyes shone like carbuncles.