Revised as of
10 Dec 2022
Christmas simply inspires me, and navel oranges will always be a major part of Christmas for me. Studded with cloves to make potpourri, the peel simmering with a few cloves and a couple sticks of cinnamon in a pan of water, separating those plump sections as the juice squirts high . . . right in my eye, dang it. But I’ll have my revenge, ha-ha, I’ll slip that slice right into my mouth and enjoy the tangy flavors. Better than candy any day.
Of course, this sensory imagery falls away when I read about someone eating a naval orange. I didn’t know the navy even had an orange named for them. Of course, the next immediate thought is metal. It’s all those ships and the metal they’re made up of. It just doesn’t sound quite as juicy.
There’s always the possibility that the navel you’re considering is the one on that cute girl at the beach or you’re contemplating your own navel. Scary thought: if you were contemplating your naval forces, would you be petting a white cat?
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.
If you found this post on “Naval versus Navel” interesting, consider subscribing to KD Did It, if you’d like to track this post for future updates.
| On the one hand . . . | . . . and on the Other |
|---|---|
| He’s a naval architect.
A particular type of engineering which works with the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of marine vessels and structures. |
He’s a navel architect.
He could be a plastic surgeon who gives you a pretty belly button, or he could be a botanist designing a better orange. |
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.
If you found this post on “Naval versus Navel” interesting, consider subscribing to KD Did It, if you’d like to track this post for future updates.
| Naval | Navel |
|---|---|
Naval Fleet courtesy of N00b Fest. |
Female Navel with Piercing by Daniele Garza is under the CC BY 2.0 license, courtesy of marisa-5533, via Wikimedia Commons. |
| Part of Grammar: | |
| Adjective | Noun
Plural: navels |
| Of, in, or relating to a navy or navies
[Obsolete] Of or relating to ships or shipping [Heraldry] Identification for a ship |
A rounded, knotty depression in the center of a person’s belly caused by the detachment of the umbilical cord after birth
The umbilicus The central point of a place [Cookery] Short for navel orange [Heraldry] Point in an escutcheon between the middle of the base and the fess point |
| Examples: | |
| Richard Gere became a naval officer in An Officer and a Gentleman.
Naval operations require a lot of planning. He will be attending the naval academy. Great Britain was a great naval power. Andrea plans to become a naval engineer. “An item of naval heraldry is seen as the identifying logo of the vessel, and is commonly reproduced on hats, stationery, trophies, souvenirs, and gifts related to the ship” (Naval). |
She got a piercing in her navel.
Hip-huggers begin below the waist and reveal the navel. The Incas saw Cuzco as the navel of the world. I do love eating a navel orange. His shield includes a navel. |
| Derivatives: | |
| Adjective: nonnaval, prenaval, pronaval Adverb: navally |
Noun: navelwort |
| History of the Word: | |
| The first known use was in the 15th century.
Late Middle English from the Latin navalis, which is from navis meaning ship. |
The first known use was before the 12th century.
Old English nafela is of Germanic origin and related to the Dutch navel and the German Nabel from an Indo-European root shared by the Latin umbo meaning boss of a shield, umbilicus meaning navel, and the Greek omphalos meaning boss, navel. |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Naval versus Navel
Apple Dictionary.com
Pinterest Photo Credits
Surfer at the Beach of Costa da Caparica, Portugal is Alvesgaspar’s own work under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license; Junk in the Halong Bay, Vietnam is Bernard Gagnon’s own work under the GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0 license; and, Citrus sinensis is Ankara’s own work under the CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL license. All are via Wikimedia Commons.
