Omphalos hypothesis

proper noun

The proposition that God created the universe within the past few thousands of years but also introduced false evidence that the universe is of great age.

OriginAncient Greek ὀμφαλός →
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Meanings

proper nounthe Omphalos hypothesis
  1. creationismThe proposition that God created the universe within the past few thousands of years but also introduced false evidence that the universe is of great age.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekὀμφαλός“navel”
  2. EnglishOmphalos hypothesis

Named after the book Omphalos (1857) by Philip Henry Gosse, in which it was argued that, in order for the world to be "functional", God must have created the Earth with mountains, canyons, trees, etc. The word Omphalos comes from Ancient Greek ὀμφαλός (omphalós, “navel”), an example of one such feature putatively needed for completion.

More words from Ancient Greek

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Cite this entry
APA

Omphalos hypothesis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Omphalos%20hypothesis

MLA

“Omphalos hypothesis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Omphalos%20hypothesis. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Omphalos hypothesis,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Omphalos%20hypothesis.

Source: Omphalos hypothesis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.