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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.

They gave him a bellybutton that could change colors.

From New York Times • Aug. 6, 2021

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

“Matt will end up shaking hands with Dad’s bellybutton if we don’t give him a lift.”

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy