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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.

See Examples For:

She showed her bellybutton in 1970, a scandal at the time, opening a public debate about propriety on television.

From New York Times ● Jul. 8, 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

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

What’s the name of the Etsy store making sweaters from bellybutton fuzz?

From Washington Post ● Nov. 27, 2019

I know Chucha made Mami save all our bellybutton cords from when we were newborns to bury in the backyard.

From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez

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