Where does “carbuncle” come from?
carbuncle (Middle English) comes from Old French carbuncle, from Latin carbunculus, from Latin carbō, from Proto-Indo-European ḱer-, from Proto-Indo-European kr̥-, from Proto-Indo-European ker- — army.
carbuncle (Middle English): A carbuncle garnet or other precious stone
Definitions
- A carbuncle garnet or other precious stone
Ancestry of “carbuncle”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | carbuncle | carbuncle (deep-red or fiery colored garnet or other dark red precious stone) |
| 2 | Latin | carbunculus | carbuncle |
| 3 | Latin | carbō | charcoal, coal |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱer- | to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kr̥- | to turn, to bend |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ker- | army |