What does bellybutton mean?
The bellybutton is the small depression or protrusion at the center of the abdomen that marks the spot where the umbilical cord once connected a fetus to its mother's placenta. After birth, when the cord is cut and clamped, the remaining stump dries and falls away, leaving this permanent scar. Everyone who was born from a placental mammal pregnancy has one, making it a universal human landmark. In everyday speech, "bellybutton" is the friendly, informal term — particularly common in American English — while "navel" serves as the neutral, formal equivalent used in medicine and anatomy. People often classify bellybuttons as "innies" (indentations) or "outies" (protrusions), depending on how the tissue healed. Beyond anatomy, the word appears casually in conversation about clothing, body piercing, and childhood tickling games, giving it a light, familiar tone that suits informal contexts far better than clinical ones.
nounThe small hollow or scar on the front of the abdomen marking where the umbilical cord was attached before birth; the navel.
- The hollow or raised scar on the abdomen where the umbilical cord was attached; the navel.
"The toddler giggled as her mother tickled her bellybutton during bath time."
"She wore a cropped shirt that showed off the little jewel in her bellybutton."
"The pediatrician assured the new parents that the baby's bellybutton would heal within a few weeks."
Regular plural; commonly used when comparing people's innies and outies.
"The swimming class was full of kids showing off their bellybuttons."
Your bellybutton is a scar — one of the first marks your body ever made — and whether you have an 'innie' or an 'outie' is pure chance of how your umbilical cord healed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bellybutton
"Bellybutton" is a straightforward English compound of "belly" and "button," so named because the navel resembles a small round fastening. "Belly" derives from Old English "belg" or "bylig," originally meaning a bag or pouch, while "button" comes via Old French "bouton" from Late Latin "bottonem," referring to a bud or knob. The compound arose naturally in colloquial English, likely in the early modern period, alongside older synonyms such as "navel" (from Old English "nafela") and the Latinate "umbilicus." Unlike those established terms, "bellybutton" has always carried an informal, folksy flavor, which it retains today.
How bellybutton is actually used
"Bellybutton" is informal and conversational; it is the everyday word in American English especially, while "navel" is preferred in formal, scientific, or medical writing. The compound is transparently formed from "belly" + "button," reflecting a folk image of the navel as a small round knob. It carries no negative connotation but may sound childish or playful in some registers.
Easily confused with bellybutton
"Bellybutton" and "navel" refer to the same body part, but "bellybutton" is informal and colloquial while "navel" is neutral and standard in medical and formal contexts.