omphalos
/ˈɑmfələs/
noun
- A central or most important point; a focal point or hub.
- The town square became the omphalos of the festival, with music and food stalls all around.
- For many fans, the stadium is the omphalos of their sports world.
- The library served as the omphalos of the university, where students gathered to study and meet.
- In ancient Greek religion, a sacred stone or object believed to mark the center of the world, especially at Delphi.
- The museum displayed a replica of the omphalos, carved with intricate patterns.
- The omphalos at Delphi was said to be the navel of the earth, where two eagles sent by Zeus met.
- Pilgrims would travel to see the omphalos and consult the oracle at the temple.
- A navel or umbilical cord (rare, technical, anatomical).
- The word 'omphalos' literally means 'navel' in Greek.
- In medical texts, the omphalos is the point where the umbilical cord attaches to the fetus.
- The surgeon examined the omphalos for signs of infection in the newborn.