omphalopsychite

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A Hesychast.
noun
  1. Alternative letter-case form of omphalopsychite.

Pronunciation

/ˌɒmfələˈsaɪkaɪt/

Word forms

omphalopsychite omphalopsychites

Etymology

Borrowed from Byzantine Greek ὀμφαλοψυχίτης (omphalopsukhítēs), from ὀμφαλός (omphalós, “navel”) + ψυχή (psukhḗ, “soul”) + -ίτης (-ítēs, “-ite”), i.e. “one with his soul in his navel”, referring to the practice by some Hesychasts of gazing on the navel as a means to concentrate during meditation. By surface analysis, omphalo- + psych- + -ite.

Derived words

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