Um`bi*li"cus (?), n. [L. See Umbilic.]
1. Anat.
The depression, or mark, in the median line of the abdomen, which indicates the point where the umbilical cord separated from the fetus; the navel.
2. Gr. & Rom. Antiq.
An ornamented or painted ball or boss fastened at each end of the stick on which manuscripts were rolled.
Dr. W. Smith.
3. Bot.
The hilum.
4. Zool. (a)
A depression or opening in the center of the base of many spiral shells.
(b)
Either one of the two apertures in the calamus of a feather.
5. Geom. (a)
One of foci of an ellipse, or other curve.
[Obs.] (b)
A point of a surface at which the curvatures of the normal sections are all equal to each other. A sphere may be osculatory to the surface in every direction at an umbilicus. Called also umbilic.
© Webster 1913.