umbilical cord

noun

1. Anatomy. a cord or funicle connecting the embryo or fetus with the placenta of the mother and transporting nourishment from the mother and wastes from the fetus.
2. any electrical, fuel, or other cable or connection for servicing, operating, or testing equipment, as in a rocket or missile, that is disconnected from the equipment at completion.
3. Aerospace Slang. a strong lifeline by which an astronaut on a spacewalk is connected to the vehicle and supplied with air, a communication system, etc.

umbilical cord

noun

1. the long flexible tubelike structure connecting a fetus with the placenta: it provides a means of metabolic interchange with the mother
2. any flexible cord, tube, or cable used to transfer information, power, oxygen, etc, as between an astronaut walking in space and his spacecraft or a deep-sea diver and his craft

umbilical cord

/ ŭm-bĭl′ĭ-kəl /

1. The flexible cord that attaches an embryo or fetus to the placenta. The umbilical cord contains blood vessels that supply nutrients and oxygen to the fetus and remove its wastes, including carbon dioxide.

umbilical cord

1. A ropelike structure that connects a developing embryo or fetus to the placenta . The umbilical cord contains the blood vessels that supply the embryo or fetus with nutrients and remove waste products. Connected to the abdomen of the embryo or fetus, the umbilical cord is cut at birth, leaving a small depression — the navel, or “belly button.”

Notes

The detaching of the umbilical cord provides a figure of speech for new independence: “He finally cut the umbilical cord and moved out of his parents' home.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of umbilical cord¹

1745–55; 1965–70 umbilical cord fordef 2

Example Sentences

“They didn’t even have basic supplies, like the scissors you would use to cut an umbilical cord. They were using a razor blade, you know?”

From Salon

Whole genome sequencing for affected families is now offered on the NHS and new parents are offered screening for 200 genetic disorders by testing the umbilical cord.

From BBC

As part of this new study, led by Genomics England, blood samples will be taken from babies' umbilical cords to help diagnose many more gene disorders, such as haemophilia and spinal muscular atrophy.

From BBC

Family Court documents stated Baby Elsa still had her umbilical cord, and doctors estimate she had been born only an hour before.

From BBC

The study revealed that a translocation between chromosome 7 and 12 was already present in some haematopoietic stem cells in the umbilical cord.

From Science Daily