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navel definition

na·vel (nā′vəl)

noun

  1. the small scar, usually a depression in the middle of the abdomen, marking the place where the umbilical cord was attached to the fetus; umbilicus
  2. any centrally located point, part, or place

Etymology: ME < OE nafela, akin to Ger nabel < IE base *ombh-, *nōbh-, navel > nave, L umbilicus, Gr omphalos

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

medical navel definition - medical

navel Synonyms

navel

n.

omphalos, depression, umbilicus, bellybutton; see abdomen, center 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

navel Usage Examples

Possessives

  • baby: Ali clamped the cord next to the baby's navel, then cut through the tough, horny tube.

Converse of object

  • protrude: The mouth projects forward and the hands rest on the stomach around the protruding navel, which is a sign of grace and peace.

Adjective modifier

  • own: No, of course we should not be endlessly picking the fluff out of our own navels.

Modifies a noun

  • orange: Navel oranges Thereâs a miniature orange, embedded in the top of these distinctive oranges â hence their unusual name!
navel usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

navel quotes

   The soul started at the knee-cap and ended at the navel.

-Lezama Lima,Jose¤

Alone in the hissing laboratory of his wishes, Mr Pugh minces among bad vats and jeroboams, tiptoes through spinneys of murdering herbs, agony dancing in his crucibles, and mixes especially for Mrs Pugh a venomous porridge unknown to toxicologists which will scald and viper through her until her ears fall off like figs, her toes grow big and black as balloons, and steam comes screaming out of her navel.

-Thomas, Dylan Marlais

navel quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"navel." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/navel>

APA Style

navel. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/navel

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