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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.
a gemstone, especially a garnet, cut with a convex back and a cabochon surface.
Also called London brown. a dark grayish, red-brown color.
Obsolete. any rounded red gem.
having the color carbuncle.
Historical Examples

Each ball was of precious stone; one an amethyst, another an African carbuncle, the third an opal, and the fourth an anthracites.
Gargantua and Pantagruel, Complete. Francois Rabelais

The carbuncle of the Dung-Beetle of the Pampas suggested the question.
The Glow-Worm and Other Beetles Jean Henri Fabre

At least, we might gather from this passage that the poet was aware of the distinction between ruby and carbuncle (pyrope garnet).
Shakespeare and Precious Stones George Frederick Kunz

Tsian Tang brought out a platter of red amber on which lay a carbuncle.
The Chinese Fairy Book Various

Mrs. carbuncle first, and then Mr. Bunfit, hurried from their seats to help her.
The Eustace Diamonds Anthony Trollope

Baron Colditz, the Chancellor, fell ill of a carbuncle in his foot, and died.
History of the Moravian Church J. E. Hutton

It is very well to have a rock, as Mrs. carbuncle had said, but a rock is not everything.
The Eustace Diamonds Anthony Trollope

The second row contained a carbuncle, a jasper, and a sapphire.
The Antiquities of the Jews Flavius Josephus

Mrs. carbuncle was very fond of the play, and made herself acquainted with every new piece as it came out.
The Eustace Diamonds Anthony Trollope

Page 167, line 67, and seq.—’carbuncle and Balas ruby,’ etc.
Parzival (vol. 2 of 2) Wolfram von Eschenback

noun
an extensive skin eruption, similar to but larger than a boil, with several openings: caused by staphylococcal infection
a rounded gemstone, esp a garnet cut without facets
a dark reddish-greyish-brown colour
n.

early 13c., “fiery jewel,” from Old North French carbuncle (Old French charbocle, charboncle) “carbuncle-stone,” also “carbuncle, boil,” from Latin carbunculus “red gem,” also “red, inflamed spot,” literally “a little coal,” from carbo (genitive carbonis) “coal” (see carbon). Originally of rubies, garnets, and other red jewels; in English the word was applied to tumors from late 14c.

carbuncle car·bun·cle (kär’bŭng’kəl)
n.

A deep-seated pyogenic infection of several contiguous hair follicles, with formation of connecting sinuses, often preceded or accompanied by fever, malaise, and prostration.

See anthrax.

car·bun’cu·lar (-kyə-lər) adj.

(Ex. 28:17; 39:10; Ezek. 28:13). Heb. barkath; LXX. smaragdos; Vulgate, smaragdus; Revised Version, marg., “emerald.” The Hebrew word is from a root meaning “to glitter,” “lighten,” “flash.” When held up to the sun, this gem shines like a burning coal, a dark-red glowing coal, and hence is called “carbunculus”, i.e., a little coal. It was one of the jewels in the first row of the high priest’s breastplate. It has been conjectured by some that the garnet is meant. In Isa. 54:12 the Hebrew word is _’ekdah_, used in the prophetic description of the glory and beauty of the mansions above. Next to the diamond it is the hardest and most costly of all precious stones.