umbilicus

/ˌʌmˈbɪlɪkəs/

//ˌʌmˈbɪlɪkəs// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"umbilicus" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“umbilicus” is an uncommon English word, ranked #68,715 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#68,715
frequency rank, English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A navel.

Key facts for umbilicus
PropertyValue
Headwordumbilicus
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌʌmˈbɪlɪkəs/
Letters9
Frequency rank#68,715
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “umbilicus” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). umbilicus lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for umbilicus is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌʌmˈbɪlɪkəs/. Corpus data places it at rank #68,715 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for umbilicus, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin umbilīcus (“navel”). The correct English form is umbilicus, spelled U-M-B-I-L-I-C-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A navel.
  2. 2
    Umbilical cord
  3. 3
    A hilum.
  4. 4
    A depression or opening in the center of the base of many spiral shells.
  5. 5
    Either of the two apertures in the calamus of a feather.
  6. 6
    A tube connecting an astronaut or spacecraft to the mothership, through which supplies and samples can be transferred.
  7. 7
    One of the foci of an ellipse or other curve.
  8. 8
    A point of a surface at which the curvatures of the normal sections are all equal to each other.
  9. 9
    An ornamented or painted ball or boss fastened at each end of the stick on which manuscripts were rolled.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin umbilīcus (“navel”).

Synonyms

omphalosomphalus

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "umbilicus"?
"umbilicus" is spelled U-M-B-I-L-I-C-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌʌmˈbɪlɪkəs/.
What does "umbilicus" mean?
As a noun, "umbilicus" means: A navel.
How do you pronounce "umbilicus"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "umbilicus" is /ˌʌmˈbɪlɪkəs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "umbilicus"?
Borrowed from Latin umbilīcus (“navel”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “umbilicus”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is U-M-B-I-L-I-C-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌʌmˈbɪlɪkəs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list