umbilicus
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˌʌmˈbɪlɪkəs/
ipa: /ʌmbɪˈlʌɪkəs/
Forms: form: umbilici
form: umbilicuses
Etymology: Borrowed from Latin umbilīcus (“navel”).
Senses: topics: anatomy
medicine
sciences
glosses: navel
examples: text: Although I have been tempted to cut the umbilicus, and pass a ligature round the remaining portion on one occasion, yet I now deem such interference officious and uncalled - for at this eventful period.
ref: 1834, Sporting Magazine, page 179:
text: She ate the umbilicus, and the afterbirth, which is supposed to be good for them. Then she licked off the first kitten and was ready for the next.
ref: 1980, Morty Sklar, Jim Mulac, Editor's Choice: Literature & Graphics from the U.S. Small Press, 1965-1977 : Poetry, Fiction, Essays, Graphics : Selected from Nominations by Editors of Independent, Non-commercial Presses & Magazines:
text: Then he tied the umbilicus in two places, using bits of Manila twine, and made his cut between them.
ref: 2000 May 8, David Guterson, East of the Mountains, A&C Black, →ISBN, page 263:
glosses: Umbilical cord
topics: biology
botany
natural-sciences
glosses: hilum
topics: biology
natural-sciences
zoology
glosses: A depression or opening in the center of the base of many spiral shells.
topics: biology
natural-sciences
zoology
glosses: Either of the two apertures in the calamus of a feather.
examples: text: The importance of the visual analyzer is further increased when the cosmonaut is in free space with only the slight support of an umbilicus.
ref: 1966, Aerospace Technology Division, Soviet Biotechnology and Bioastronautics: Report, Library of Congress, page 10:
text: Penetrators will be connected by an umbilicus to an afterbody containing imaging and meteorological instruments.
ref: 1977, James W. Head, United States. National Aeronautics, Space Administration, Significant achievements in the planetary geology program, 1975-1976:
text: How about a 270 mile tether to an orbiting satellite? Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you? Frank! Prepare to receive the umbilicus!
ref: 1994, Michael J. Nelson (head writer), "Girls Town", episode 601, Mystery Science Theater 3000
text: 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.
ref: 2013, Treion Muller, Matthew Murdoch, The Webinar Manifesto: Never Design, Deliver, or Sell Lousy Webinars Again!, RosettaBooks, →ISBN:
topics: aerospace
business
engineering
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
space-science
glosses: A tube connecting an astronaut or spacecraft to the mothership, through which supplies and samples can be transferred.
topics: geometry
mathematics
sciences
glosses: One of the foci of an ellipse or other curve.
examples: text: A sphere may be osculatory to the surface in every direction at an umbilicus.
topics: geometry
mathematics
sciences
glosses: A point of a surface at which the curvatures of the normal sections are all equal to each other.
examples: text: The ends of the umbilicus were called cornua (i.e. horns) in Latin, and were usually adorned with some pretty device
ref: 1763, William Massey, The Origin and Progress of Letters:
glosses: An ornamented or painted ball or boss fastened at each end of the stick on which manuscripts were rolled.
Synonyms: sense: navel
word: omphalos
sense: navel
word: omphalus
Derived terms: umbilical
Related terms: umbilical artery
umbilical cord
umbilical hernia
umbilical vein