navel

The term evokes a sense of biological origin and the physical connection between mother and child. In a medical or anatomical context, it is a neutral descriptor of a body part, though in casual conversation it is often referred to as the belly button. When used in a figurative sense, the word suggests a state of extreme self-absorption. This is most common in the phrase navel-gazing, which describes a person who is so focused on their own internal thoughts or problems that they ignore the external world.