bellybutton
Meaning
The small, round, and usually hollow place in the middle of a person's stomach where the umbilical cord was attached at birth; the navel.
Structure
Usage
The baby giggled when her mother tickled her bellybutton.
He applied a bit of antiseptic to his new bellybutton piercing.
Some cultures have traditions and superstitions centered around the bellybutton.
Etymology
The word "bellybutton" is a transparent English compound formed from two native elements. "Belly," tracing back to Old English belg meaning "bag" or "pouch," evolved to refer to the stomach or abdomen, the body's central cavity. "Button," entering English from Old French boton (a bud or knob), came to signify any small, round fastener or protuberance. The compound creatively likens the navel's appearance to a small, round button sewn onto the "belly," offering a vivid, descriptive metaphor that emerged in colloquial American English during the late 19th century as a familiar alternative to the more clinical term "navel."
Analysis
belly: From Old English belg (bag, pouch, skin). In this compound, it functions as the primary noun denoting the abdominal area. button: From Old French boton (a bud, knob, or button). In this compound, it functions as a metaphorical noun describing the shape and appearance of the navel.