naval
Americanadjective
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of or relating to warships.
a naval battle; naval strength.
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of or relating to ships of all kinds.
naval architecture; naval engineer.
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belonging to, pertaining to, or connected with a navy.
naval affairs.
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possessing a navy.
the great naval powers.
adjective
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of, relating to, characteristic of, or having a navy
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of or relating to ships; nautical
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of naval
First recorded in 1585–95; from Latin nāvālis, equivalent to nāv(is) “ship” + -ālis -al 1
Explanation
Naval means "about a navy or navies." If you are interested in naval history, you probably enjoy seeing ships used in sea battles. Naval comes from the Latin word for ship, navis. Use the adjective naval whenever you're discussing a country's fleet of ships, especially ships intended for use during wartime. You might talk about a naval officer or a naval base, where ships are kept and naval personnel live. It's easy to confuse naval with its homophone navel, the belly button.
Vocabulary lists containing naval
Commonly Confused Words, List 2
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Commonly Confused Words, List 4
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Commonly Confused Words, List 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Guaranteeing our naval and joint forces have the lethal firepower they need to deter aggression and protect the homeland is paramount," Cao said in a statement.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
He has spent the past several years in leadership roles in Centcom, including serving as commander of U.S. naval forces in the region.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
Washington similarly tried to force Iran’s hand earlier in the war when it imposed the naval blockade just days after reaching a fragile ceasefire.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said it would be a “one-two punch” along with the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
The maitre d’ was waiting for Captain Weber, a naval captain who commanded a cruiser attached to the fleet, to bring his lady in for dinner, but his reservation was not until 9 o’clock.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
