Navel | anatomy | Britannica (original) (raw)

anatomy

Also known as: belly button, umbilicus

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Last updated

May 7, 2026 •History

navel, in anatomy, a small depression in the abdominal wall at the point of attachment of the umbilical cord (q.v.). It indicates the point through which the mammalian fetus obtained nourishment from its mother through the blood vessels of the umbilical cord.