umbilical
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or characteristic of an umbilicus or umbilical cord.
-
joined together by or as if by an umbilical cord; heavily dependent in a close relationship.
-
adjacent to or located near the navel; central to the abdomen.
the umbilical region.
-
serving as or containing a conduit through which power is transferred, especially to a unit that will be or is designed to be ultimately self-sufficient or independent.
an umbilical cable for launching a rocket; an umbilical plug for starting jet engines.
noun
adjective
-
of, relating to, or resembling the umbilicus or the umbilical cord
-
in the region of the umbilicus
an umbilical hernia
noun
Other Word Forms
- nonumbilical adjective
- postumbilical adjective
- subumbilical adjective
- umbilically adverb
Etymology
Origin of umbilical
1535–45; < Medieval Latin umbilīcālis, equivalent to Latin umbilīc ( us ) ( umbilicus ) + -ālis -al 1
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.
The show pairs the painting with a Kiki Smith sculpture, created over five decades later, that portrays the papery form of a woman from the waist down, her fetus dangling by an umbilical cord.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026
Each child had detectable levels of CPF in their umbilical cord blood at birth and underwent brain imaging and behavioral assessments between the ages of 6 and 14.
From Science Daily • Nov. 7, 2025
On the other hand, a 2020 study that measured acetaminophen in umbilical cord blood did find a dose-dependent association with autism.
From Slate • Sep. 26, 2025
Screening newborn babies for rare diseases will involve sequencing their complete DNA using blood samples from their umbilical cord.
From BBC • Jun. 21, 2025
When the shuttle was full, it backed off, dragging a thick electrical umbilical behind it.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
