Carbuncle

Pronunciation: /ˈkɑːrˌbʌŋkəl/

Definitions of carbuncle

noun a painful cluster of boils typically caused by bacterial infection, usually on the neck or back

Example Sentences

A1 My grandmother has a large carbuncle on her neck.

A2 The doctor diagnosed the painful lump on his back as a carbuncle.

B1 The carbuncle on his arm required surgery to remove.

B2 The infection spread from the carbuncle to the surrounding tissue.

C1 The formation of a carbuncle can be caused by bacterial infection.

C2 The doctor recommended antibiotics to treat the carbuncle effectively.

Examples of carbuncle in a Sentence

formal The doctor diagnosed the patient with a carbuncle, a cluster of boils on the skin.

informal I heard that John had to go to the hospital because of a nasty carbuncle on his back.

slang That carbuncle on his neck looks really gross.

figurative The corruption scandal was like a carbuncle on the reputation of the company.

Grammatical Forms of carbuncle

• past tense: carbuncled
• plural: carbuncles
• comparative: more carbuncle
• superlative: most carbuncle
• present tense: carbuncles
• future tense: will carbuncle
• perfect tense: have carbuncled
• continuous tense: is carbuncling
• singular: carbuncle
• positive degree: carbuncle
• infinitive: to carbuncle
• gerund: carbuncling
• participle: carbuncled

Origin and Evolution of carbuncle

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'carbuncle' originated from the Latin word 'carbunculus', which means a small coal or ember.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe a type of precious stone, the term 'carbuncle' later evolved to refer to a painful skin infection or boil characterized by multiple pus-filled abscesses. In modern usage, 'carbuncle' primarily refers to a deep-seated infection involving a group of hair follicles.