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bellybutton

American  
[bel-ee-buht-n] / ˈbɛl iˌbʌt n /
Or belly button

noun

  1. the navel.


bellybutton British  
/ ˈbɛlɪˌbʌtən /

noun

  1. an informal name for the navel

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bellybutton

An Americanism dating back to 1875–80; belly + button

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This past fall, my daughter, at 20 months, became fascinated with her bellybutton.

From New York Times • Jan. 3, 2022

Like bellybutton piercings of the streets, the gleam of these cast-iron discs are little glimpses of jewellery not usually seen.

From BBC • May 14, 2021

The pain is typically in the middle of the abdomen around the bellybutton and can last from two hours to three days.

From Washington Post • Aug. 14, 2020

As a result, while discussing the remarkable diversity of creatures dwelling on and in our bodies, he can tell you that his own bellybutton harbors a bacterium, Marimonas, also found in the Mariana Trench.

From Scientific American • May 16, 2020

I was left with the choice of wearing the pants either around my ankles or hitched up to my bellybutton.

From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs