carbuncle

carbuncle — noun

1. a large, painful area of infected skin where several boils have joined together,

1.名詞C1
釋義

a large, painful area of infected skin where several boils have joined together, filled with pus, and needing medical treatment to heal

例句

The nurse said the carbuncle on Diego's neck needed to be drained by a doctor.

carbuncle + on [body part] for location

When Tomás ignored the red bump on his thigh, it grew into a large carbuncle within three days.

concrete scene: small bump ignored → large carbuncle

同義詞
  • boil

    a smaller, single infected hair follicle; less severe than a carbuncle

  • abscess

    a general pocket of pus anywhere in the body, not limited to the skin

用法筆記

A carbuncle is more serious than a boil — it involves a deeper infection with multiple pus-draining openings and often requires antibiotics or a minor surgical procedure.

常見錯誤

❌He had a small carbuncle on his finger, like a pimple.
✅He had a small boil on his finger, like a pimple.
💡A carbuncle is always large and deep; a single small infected spot is a boil.

2. a dark red gemstone, especially a garnet that has been cut into a smooth rounded

2.名詞C1
釋義

a dark red gemstone, especially a garnet that has been cut into a smooth rounded shape without facets, often used in jewellery

例句

The antique brooch was set with a large carbuncle surrounded by small diamonds.

collocation: carbuncle + set with / surrounded by

In Victorian times, carbuncles were very popular in rings and necklaces.

historical register: Victorian jewellery

同義詞
  • garnet

    the modern name for most dark red gemstones formerly called carbuncles; more commonly used today

  • ruby

    a brighter red precious stone; distinct from carbuncle in colour and value

用法筆記

In modern English, 'carbuncle' as a gemstone term is quite rare; most people use 'garnet' instead. The word appears mainly in historical or antique jewellery descriptions.

常見錯誤

❌She wore a bright green carbuncle ring.
✅She wore a dark red garnet ring.
💡Carbuncles are always red, never green. For green stones use 'emerald' or 'green garnet'.