English Explanatory Dictionary

navy

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A country's entire maritime military force, including ships and personnel.
  2. A governmental department in charge of a country's maritime military force.
  3. Any fleet of maritime vessels, and especially the entire fleet of any particular nationality, including vessels that are commercial, military, or both.
  4. A dark blue colour, usually called navy blue.
adj
  1. Having the dark blue colour of navy blue.
  2. Belonging to the navy; typical of the navy.

Pronunciation

/ˈneɪvi/ en-us-navy.ogg /ˈnæɪvi/ /ˈneve/ /-vɪ/ /-vi/ /ˈneːvi/

Word forms

navy navies more navy most navy

Etymology

From Middle English nave, navye, from Anglo-Norman, Old French navie, from Latin nāvigia < nāvigium, from Latin nāvigō, nāvis (“boat”), from Proto-Indo-European *néh₂us. Compare Ancient Greek ναῦς (naûs, “ship”), Persian ناو (nâv, “boat, warship”), Sanskrit नाव (nāva, “ship”), Old English nōwend (“mariner, sailor”). By surface analysis, Latin nav- + -y. Displaced native Old English sċiphere (literally “ship army”).

Synonyms

marine

Related words

fleet Annapolis bluejacket captain chief petty officer commodore ensign erk Fleet Air Arm gob gunroom marine Seabee silent service naval nave navicular nef nonnaval

Derived words

antinavy internavy navarch navyish navyless navyspeak pronavy merchant navy bare navy blue-water navy brown-water navy Cajun navy green-water navy naval naval dockyard navy bean Navy Cross navy cut navy list navy shower navy yard Royal Navy
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