1. A painful localized bacterial infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue that usually has several openings through which pus is discharged.
2. 1. A deep-red garnet, unfaceted and convex.
   2. Obsolete. A red precious stone.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin carbunculus, small glowing ember, carbuncle, diminutive of carbō, carbōn-, coal.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.