umbilical

1 of 2

adjective

um·​bil·​i·​cal ˌəm-ˈbi-li-kəl 

British also

ˌəm-bə-ˈlī-kəl 

1

: of, relating to, or used at the navel

2

: of or relating to the central region of the abdomen

3

: being a necessary or nurturing link or connection

the town's umbilical rail line

umbilical

2 of 2

noun

: umbilical cord sense 2

Examples of umbilical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Just this Monday, the agency had to halt a spacewalk after the airlock had been de-pressurized and the hatch opened due to a water leak in the service and cooling umbilical unit of Tracy Dyson's spacesuit. —Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 25 June 2024

At the moment of liftoff, these computers control things like retracting umbilical lines and releasing bolts holding the rocket to its mobile launch platform. —Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 1 June 2024

Noun

But 20 seconds before the launch was to occur, an automatic abort was triggered after the second of two umbilicals, or service towers, up against the side of the Soyuz rocket, failed to initiate an engine sequence start. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024

The goal was to prevent seals from unseating in the hydrogen umbilical between the core stage and the mobile launch platform. —Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 18 Aug. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from New Latin umbilīcālis, from Latin umbilīcus "navel, central point" + -ālis -al entry 1 — more at umbilicus

Noun

by ellipsis

First Known Use

Adjective

1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1774, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing umbilical

• umbilical cord

Medical Definition

umbilical

adjective

um·​bil·​i·​cal

ˌəm-ˈbil-i-kəl also ˌəm-bə-ˈlī-kəl

1

: of, relating to, or used at the navel

umbilical infection

2

: of or relating to the central abdominal region that is situated between the right and left lumbar regions and between the epigastric region above and the hypogastric region below

umbilical pain