[om-fuh-luh s] /ˈɒm fə ləs/
the navel; umbilicus.
the central point.
Greek Antiquity. a stone in the temple of Apollo at Delphi, thought to mark the center of the earth.
(in the ancient world) a sacred conical object, esp a stone. The most famous omphalos at Delphi was assumed to mark the centre of the earth
the central point
(literary) another word for navel
also omphalus, “sacred stone,” 1850, from Greek omphalos, literally “navel,” later also “hub” (as the central point), from PIE *ombh-alo-, from root *nobh-/*ombh- “navel” (see navel). The name of the rounded stone in the shrine at Delphi, regarded by the ancients as the center of the world. Related: Omphalic.
omphalos om·pha·los (ŏm’fə-lŏs’, -ləs)
n. pl. om·pha·li (-lī’)
omphalosite om·pha·lo·site (ŏm’fə-lə-sīt’, ŏm-fāl’ə-) n. The underdeveloped member of unequal monochorionic twins that derives its blood supply from the placenta of the autosite and is not capable of independent existence or separation from the placenta.
[om-fuh-loh-skep-sis] /ˌɒm fə loʊˈskɛp sɪs/ noun 1. contemplation of one’s navel as part of a mystical exercise. n. 1925, from omphalo- + Greek -skepsis, from skeptesthai “to reflect, look, view” (see scope (n.1)). Also omphaloscopy (1931), and used in the sense of “navel-gazer” were omphalopsychic (1892), omphalopsychite (1882).
omphalospinous om·pha·lo·spi·nous (ŏm’fə-lō-spī’nəs) adj. Of or being a line connecting the navel and the anterior superior spine of the ilium.
omphalotomy om·pha·lot·o·my (ŏm’fə-lŏt’ə-mē) n. Cutting of the umbilical cord at birth.