carbuncle
Americannoun
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Pathology. 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.
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a gemstone, especially a garnet, cut with a convex back and a cabochon surface.
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Also called London brown. a dark grayish, red-brown color.
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Obsolete. any rounded red gem.
adjective
noun
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an extensive skin eruption, similar to but larger than a boil, with several openings: caused by staphylococcal infection
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a rounded gemstone, esp a garnet cut without facets
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a dark reddish-greyish-brown colour
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of carbuncle
1150–1200; Middle English < Anglo-French < Latin carbunculus kind of precious stone, tumor, literally, live coal, equivalent to carbōn- (stem of carbō ) burning charcoal + -culus -cule 1, apparently assimilated to derivates from short-vowel stems; cf. homunculus
Vocabulary lists containing carbuncle
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"He was absolutely slammed down by the architectural establishment," said Clarke of the King's attacks on some modern design plans, such as in 1984 calling a proposed extension to the National Gallery a "monstrous carbuncle".
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2025
He famously described an extension to London's National Gallery in 1984 as a "monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend".
From Reuters ● Sep. 9, 2022
In 1984, he famously ridiculed a proposed extension to the National Gallery as a “monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend.”
From New York Times ● Sep. 8, 2022
“The Baltimore justice system is a cesspool,” the McCanns wrote to Hogan, “a foul carbuncle benighting the people of Baltimore and Maryland.”
From Washington Post ● Mar. 6, 2018
He stood there as if be were drying himself in the sun, with a wingspread of about eleven feet, a bright orange head and a magenta carbuncle.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
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