nautical

American  

[naw-ti-kuhl, not-i-] / ˈnɔ tɪ kəl, ˈnɒt ɪ- /

adjective

1. of or relating to sailors, ships, or navigation.

   nautical terms.

   Synonyms:

   seagoing, maritime, marine

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nautical British  

/ ˈnɔːtɪkəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or involving ships, navigation, or sailors

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Other Word Forms

• nauticality noun
• nautically adverb
• nonnautical adjective
• nonnautically adverb
• unnautical adjective

Etymology

Origin of nautical

1545–55; < Latin nautic ( us ) pertaining to ships or sailors (< Greek nautikós, equivalent to naû ( s ) ship + -tikos -tic ) + -al ¹

Compare meaning

How does nautical compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• nautical vs. statute mile

Example Sentences

On Wednesday, Thailand's navy said it was providing emergency assistance after a Thai-flagged vessel was hit 11 nautical miles north of Oman, causing a fire on board.

From BBC

A ship was in distress, roughly 20 nautical miles off the coast from the city of Galle.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Persian Gulf, less than 100 nautical miles wide in many places, limits large vessels such as aircraft carriers.

From The Wall Street Journal

Local topography—including a shipping channel that shrinks to less than 2 nautical miles wide at its narrowest—requires predictable routes in a small area, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

The interior ministry said earlier that the speedboat had entered its territorial waters and was "one nautical mile off Cayo Falcones" on the country's northern coast when it was intercepted.

From BBC

Related Words

• maritime
• navigational
• seafaring