Navelbone
/ˈneɪ.vəlˌboʊn/noun
An obsolete or dialectal term for the navel or umbilicus, sometimes referring to the umbilical cord.
Did you know?Its first element belongs to the same ancient root that produced Greek omphalos, the sacred “navel” of the world at Delphi.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₃nobh-
“Navel; central boss or rounded projection”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ὀμφαλός (omphalos)
“Navel; central protuberance, including Delphi’s symbolic “navel of the world””
Latin
Latin
umbilīcus
“Navel; center or midpoint”
Old English
Old English
nafela
“Navel or central depression”
Middle English
Middle English
navel
“Navel; the central point”
Middle English
English
bōn
“Bone; a hard structural part of the body”
Modern English
English
navelbone
“An obsolete or dialectal compound meaning the navel or umbilicus”