blue-water

American  

[bloo-waw-ter, -wot-er] / ˈbluˌwɔ tər, -ˌwɒt ər /

adjective

1. designed to operate on and range over the open sea; oceangoing.

   a bluewater navy that can be dispatched throughout the world, far from its home base.

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Etymology

Origin of blue-water

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Today, China is building a blue-water navy capable of power projection, operating three aircraft carriers, four amphibious assault ships, eight Renhai cruisers, 25 Luyang III destroyers, and 40 Jiangkai II frigates.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

And while Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has been forced back from Ukraine’s coast, Beijing possesses a blue-water navy that has surpassed the U.S.

From Washington Times • Feb. 19, 2023

Navy warfare strategists working on arming the surface fleet for massive blue-water combat.

From Fox News • Jul. 17, 2020

It concerns the inhabitants of the 10-million-square-mile triangle of blue-water Pacific real estate now known as Polynesia, which is bounded by New Zealand, Easter Island and the Hawaiian archipelago.

From New York Times • May 14, 2019

Ocean racing; the great blue-water yacht races, 1866-1935.

From U.S. Copyright Renewals, 1963 July - December by Library of Congress. Copyright Office