Word of the Day, September 26: ‘Omphalos’

Word of the Day: OMPHALOS

 Pronunciation : UK /ˈɒmfəlɒs/
US /ˈɑːmfəlɒs/

Meaning

Omphalos is a Greek word meaning navel. In English, it can refer to a central point or place considered the centre of something, especially the world.

Examples for daily usage

• The old temple became the omphalos of the town's religious life.
• For her, the family home remained an emotional omphalos.
• The city was once considered the cultural omphalos of the region.

Origin and history

Omphalos comes directly from Ancient Greek omphalos, meaning “navel”. The word was later associated with the idea of a central point because the navel sits at the centre of the human body. It can also describe the sacred stone at Delphi that ancient Greeks regarded as the centre of the world.

The term entered English in the 19th century, particularly in reference to the sacred stone at Delphi. The English word omphalos is recorded from around 1850. Its deeper linguistic roots are connected to an ancient Indo-European root meaning “navel”.

Also Read: Word of the Day, September 25: ‘Nonchalant’ 

Cultural significance and modern usage

The most famous omphalos was at Delphi in ancient Greece. According to Greek tradition, Zeus sent two eagles from opposite ends of the world, and they met above Delphi. The site was therefore regarded as the centre of the world, with the sacred stone representing this central position. The archaeological site of Delphi describes the stone as an oval-shaped object representing the “navel of the world”.

The word later developed a broader figurative sense. It can now describe a place, object or idea that functions as the central point around which everything else seems to revolve.

Interesting facts

The plural of omphalos is omphaloi or omphaluses.

The adjective omphalic means relating to the navel.

Omphaloskepsis means contemplation of one's navel and, more broadly, excessive self-absorption.

The famous Delphi stone was connected with the ancient belief that Delphi was the centre of the world.

The word is related to the modern medical combining form omphalo-, as in omphalitis, inflammation of the navel.

In modern writing, omphalos can be used metaphorically for the emotional, cultural or symbolic centre of a place.

Examples from literature

• “The invisible, untoppable omphalos.” — The Toome Road, Seamus Heaney
• “The omphalos of the text.” — Michael Stanier, referring to the Sirens episode of James Joyce's Ulysses.

Synonyms

• Centre
• Hub
• Core
• Focal point
• Heart

Antonyms

• Periphery
• Edge
• Margin
• Outskirts

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