Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Umbilicus
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1.
(Anat.)
The depression, or mark, in the median line of the abdomen, which indicates the point where the umbilical cord separated from the fetus; the navel; the belly button, in humans.
2.
(Gr. & Rom. Antiq.)
An ornamented or painted ball or boss fastened at each end of the stick on which manuscripts were rolled.
Dr. W. Smith.
3.
(Bot.)
The hilum.
4.
(Zool.)
(a)
A depression or opening in the center of the base of many spiral shells.
(b)
Either one of the two apertures in the calamus of a feather.
5.
(Geom.)
(a)
One of the foci of an ellipse, or other curve.
[Obs.]
(b)
A point of a surface at which the curvatures of the normal sections are all equal to each other. A sphere may be osculatory to the surface in every direction at an umbilicus. Called also
umbilic
. Definition 2024
umbilicus
umbilicus
English
Noun
umbilicus (plural umbilici or umbilicuses)
- (anatomy) navel
- (botany) hilum
- (zoology) A depression or opening in the center of the base of many spiral shells.
- (zoology) Either of the two apertures in the calamus of a feather.
- (space science) A tube connecting an astronaut or spacecraft to the mothership, through which supplies and samples can be transferred.
- 1966, Aerospace Technology Division, Library of Congress, Soviet Biotechnology and Bioastronautics: Report, page 10:
- The importance of the visual analyzer is further increased when the cosmonaut is in free space with only the slight support of an umbilicus.
- 1977, James W. Head, United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Significant achievements in the planetary geology program, 1975-1976
- Penetrators will be connected by an umbilicus to an afterbody containing imaging and meteorological instruments.
- 1994, Michael J. Nelson (head writer), "Girls Town", episode 601, Mystery Science Theater 3000
- How about a 270 mile tether to an orbiting satellite? Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you? Frank! Prepare to receive the umbilicus!
- 2013, Treion Muller, Matthew Murdoch, The Webinar Manifesto: Never Design, Deliver, or Sell Lousy Webinars Again!, RosettaBooks (ISBN 9780795333552)
- Ninety minutes into the twenty-six hour flight, Leonov opened the outer hatch and pushed himself out to the end of his 17-foot umbilicus — becoming the first man to walk in space.
- 1966, Aerospace Technology Division, Library of Congress, Soviet Biotechnology and Bioastronautics: Report, page 10:
- (geometry, obsolete) One of the foci of an ellipse or other curve.
- (geometry) A point of a surface at which the curvatures of the normal sections are all equal to each other.
- A sphere may be osculatory to the surface in every direction at an umbilicus.
- (historical) An ornamented or painted ball or boss fastened at each end of the stick on which manuscripts were rolled.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Dr. W. Smith to this entry?)
Synonyms
Derived terms
Derived terms
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Translations
navel — see navel
Latin
Etymology
From Proto-Indo-European *h₃nebʰ- (“navel”).
Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /um.biˈliː.kus/, [ʊm.bɪˈliː.kʊs]
Noun
umbilīcus m (genitive umbilīcī); second declension
Inflection
Second declension.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | umbilīcus | umbilīcī |
| genitive | umbilīcī | umbilīcōrum |
| dative | umbilīcō | umbilīcīs |
| accusative | umbilīcum | umbilīcōs |
| ablative | umbilīcō | umbilīcīs |
| vocative | umbilīce | umbilīcī |
Descendants
References
- umbilicus in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- umbilicus in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- Félix Gaffiot (1934), “umbilicus”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
- umbilicus in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
- umbilicus in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin