How to Pronounce Umbilicus

Umbilicus is pronounced um-BIL-ih-kus. Start with "um" (rhymes with "sum"), then say "BIL" with the stress on this syllable, then finish with "ih-kus" (like "ih" as in "sit" and "kus" as in "cuss"). The second syllable gets the strongest emphasis.

Many people stress the wrong syllable and say um-bih-LY-kus or um-bih-LIH-kus, putting the emphasis on the third syllable instead of the second. The correct way puts the stress on BIL: um-BIL-ih-kus.

Umbilicus has four syllables: um-BIL-ih-kus. If you break your finger at each syllable as you say it slowly, you'll count four beats.

Umbilicus is the medical term for your navel, which is more commonly called your belly button. It's the small indentation or scar you see in the center of your abdomen.

Umbilicus comes from Latin, the ancient Roman language. The Latin root "umbilicus" originally meant "navel" or "center," and it's been used in medical language for hundreds of years.

You'll hear "umbilical" (um-BIL-ih-kul), as in umbilical cord, and "periumbilical" (pair-ee-um-BIL-ih-kul), which means around the umbilicus. Both words contain the same root and relate to the belly button area.

Here's an example: "The doctor examined the patient's umbilicus during the physical exam." This sentence uses the word correctly in a medical context to refer to the belly button area.

Yes—doctors and nurses often use the abbreviation "umbil." in medical records, or they simply say "navel" or "belly button" in everyday conversation. Umbilicus is the formal medical name.