navel

IPA/ˈneɪvl/
KK[nˈevəl]IPA/ˈneɪvl/

navel — noun

  • navelsingular
  • navelsplural

1. The small hollow or raised mark in the middle of the stomach where the cord that

1.nounA2
Definition

The small hollow or raised mark in the middle of the stomach where the cord that once connected a baby to its mother was attached and later fell off.

Example

The toddler lifted his shirt and showed everyone his navel, still pink from the warm bath.

body part: the small mark in the centre of the stomach

The yoga teacher asked the class to put a hand below the navel and breathe deeply.

collocation: below the navel

Common collocations
  • below the navel
  • around the navel
  • navel area
  • navel piercing
Synonyms
  • belly button

    informal term used in everyday speech; far more common than 'navel' in casual contexts

  • umbilicus

    formal medical term, rarely used outside clinical settings

Usage Note

In everyday conversation, 'belly button' is far more common than 'navel'. 'Navel' is the standard term in medical and anatomical writing.

Common Mistakes

My navel hurts because I have a stomach bug.
My belly button hurts because I have a stomach bug.
In casual speech, 'belly button' sounds more natural than 'navel'.

2. The most important or central part of a place, system, or activity — for example

2.nounB2
Definition

The most important or central part of a place, system, or activity — for example, calling a capital city the navel of a country, or a key market the navel of trade.

Example

The ancient temple was the navel of the kingdom, where all important ceremonies took place.

figurative: 'the navel of' = the centre of

In Greek myth, the Oracle at Delphi was the navel of the earth, linking mortals to the gods.

Common collocations
  • the navel of the world
  • the navel of the earth
  • the navel of the kingdom
  • the navel of trade
Synonyms
  • centre

    neutral and widely used; the standard word for a middle point

  • heart

    suggests the most active or emotionally important part of something

  • hub

    suggests a place where activity, transport, or communication comes together

Antonyms
  • edge

    the outer limit or boundary, opposite of the central point

  • periphery

    the outer edge of an area, especially in formal or academic contexts

Grammar Patterns

the navel of [place/system]

Usage Note

This figurative sense is mostly found in literary, historical, or formal writing. In everyday English, 'centre', 'heart', or 'hub' are far more common choices.

Common Mistakes

Taipei 101 is the navel of the city.
Taipei 101 is at the heart of the city.
'Heart' or 'centre' sounds natural for modern urban locations; 'navel' sounds overly poetic or old-fashioned.

Word family

  • navel-gazing
    nounC1
  • umbilical
    adjectiveB2
  • umbilicus
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

The three words all refer to the same body part but differ sharply in register and context. 'Belly button' is the everyday word — the one a parent says to a child, or a friend uses in casual conversation. 'Navel' sits in the middle: it is the standard neutral term in writing and is the word taught in school health classes. 'Umbilicus' is strictly medical or anatomical — you would only encounter it in a doctor's report, a biology textbook, or a clinical description. Choosing between them is mainly about context: 'belly button' for talking to a friend, 'navel' for a general article, and 'umbilicus' for a medical chart. For example: 'The baby's belly button is still sore' (casual), 'The incision was made just below the navel' (written record), 'The umbilicus showed signs of infection' (medical report).

navel ↗belly buttonumbilicus ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • navel piercing
  • navel area
  • navel cord
  • navel stump

Phrases

  • contemplate one's navel

Prepositions

  • below the navel
  • around the navel
  • the navel of

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'navel' comes from Old English 'nafela', which traces back to the Proto-Germanic root '*nabalô' and further to the Proto-Indo-European root '*h₃nóbʰōl', meaning 'navel' or 'hub of a wheel'. The connection between a navel and a wheel's hub is an ancient one — both are the central point around which something turns or grows. That same PIE root also gave rise to the Latin 'umbilicus' (navel) and, through a different path, the English word 'nave' (the central hub of a wheel). The figurative sense 'central point' emerged in English by the 14th century, modelled on this longstanding metaphor.