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.
The spacecraft was then recovered and returned to Naval Base San Diego.
From Science Daily • May 4, 2026
Drawing on his service as a Naval reservist, Campa-Najjar takes a cautious approach to military engagement.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to serve as the chief of Naval Operations, was also removed the same day.
From Salon • May 1, 2026
The problem: Naval escorts for tankers through such a narrow waterway in a war zone would be nearly impossible, say allied officials and military experts.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
Naval Twelfth Fleet forges ahead on its invasion of the Pacific, the announcer says.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
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.
