▪ I. umbilic, n.
(ʌmˈbɪlɪk)
Forms: α. 7 vmbilike, -icke, umbilick, umbelic(k, 7, 9 umbilic. β. 7 vmbilique, umbelique.
[ad. L. umbilīc-us umbilicus, related to Gr. ὀµϕαλός, and ultimately to navel n. Hence also F. ombilic, † umbilic (1556), It. um-, ombilico, ombellico, Sp. ombligo, Pg. umbigo. In sense 1 prob. stressed umbiˈlic.]
† 1. The centre; the middle point or part. Obs.
| α 1607 Bp. J. King Serm. 5 Nov. 23 For the perpetration of it they went downe into the bowells of the earth, but for the inuention to the very vmbilicke, and centre of the earth. 1608 ― Serm. 24 Mar. 19 The verie middle and vmbilicke of natures prefined time. 1638 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 113 Ormus is as it were the umbelick of the gulph. Ibid. 265 Hell is in the Umbelic or navell of the world. |
| β 1612 Peacham Gentl. Exerc. iii. 143 It was round, and equall from the vmbelique or middle point, to euery side. 1615 E. Hoby Curry-combe vi. 248 Not only in Wales and Scotland, but euen in the vmbilique of the Saxons Dominion. 1638 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 214 In the umbelique or mid-part of this spatious Court is a quadrangular Tanck or Pond. |
2. Geom. (See quots. 1875–6.)
| 1843 MacCullagh in Proc. R. Irish Acad. (1846) II. 458 The focal hyperbola of the ellipsoid and the focal ellipse of the hyperboloid of two sheets, are umbilicar focals, and pass through the umbilics of these surfaces. 1875 P. Frost Solid Geom. (ed. 2) I. 166 The point-circles in which the variable circle terminates are called umbilics. 1876 Handbk. Sci. App. S. Kens. 46 At special points, called umbilics, the greatest and least curvatures (and therefore all the curvatures) are equal to one another. The sphere has the peculiarity that every point on it is an umbilic. |
▪ II. † umˈbilic, a. Obs.
Also 6 vm-, 7 umbilique, 8 umbilick.
[ad. L. umbilīc-us (see prec.), the ending being taken as adjectival.]
1. umbilic point, a central point.
| a. Her. 1586 J. Ferne Blaz. Gentrie 105 Counterchanging of them by the fesse or vmbilique point of the sheeld. Ibid. 184 This scutcheon..was of old named fessey target bycause that the fesse or vmbilique point of the coate armor is occupied with a targe or sheeld. |
| b. Math. 1700 Moxon Math. Dict., Umbilique Points, or the 2 Focus or Centre-Points in an Elipsis. |
2. (See quot.)
| 1681 tr. Willis' Rem. Med. Wks. Vocab., Umbilic, belonging to the navel, or of the likeness or shape of the navel. |