carbuncle
/ˈkɑːbʌŋk(ə)l
/noun
1A severe abscess or multiple boil in the skin, typically infected with staphylococcus bacteria.It can be made into a salve or the tincture can be painted on boils, felons, carbuncles, abscesses, inflamed acne, cellulitis and other local inflammations....
- Usually the staphylococcal bacteria are not concentrated enough to do any harm, but sometimes they pass deeper into the skin to cause boils, abscesses, styes and carbuncles.
- This is particularly true of inflammatory conditions such as boils and carbuncles - painful, pus-filled bumps that form under your skin when bacteria infect one or more of your hair follicles.
Synonyms
boil, blister, sore, abscess, pustule, pimple, spot, wart, papule, wen, whitlow, canker;
swelling, lump, growth, outgrowth, eruption, infection, inflammation;
Scottish plook
technical vesication, furuncle
2A bright red gem, in particular a garnet cut en cabochon.But the buckle on her belt was the shape of a circle of thorns surrounding a bright red carbuncle, like the tattoo on the nape of her neck....
- Behind the guard was another, but he seemed to be more of a mage, with flowing red robes and an oaken staff with a brilliant carbuncle sapphire in its top.
- Stones of deep red color like glowing carbuncles are let into gilded woodwork, and Limoges enamels ornament the walls.
Derivatives
carbuncular
/ adjective ...- Two cases of anthracoid or carbuncular eruptions due to iodides are reported.
- The returns of the Registrar-General for this year exhibit a higher mortality from carbuncular diseases than those of any preceding one.
- The local and constitutional symptoms became progressively more intense; and when first seen he had an extensive carbuncular infection.
Origin
Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French charbuncle, from Latin carbunculus 'small coal', from carbo 'coal, charcoal'.