naval

[ney-vuhl]

adjective

1. of or relating to warships.

   a naval battle; naval strength.

2. of or relating to ships of all kinds.

   naval architecture; naval engineer.

3. belonging to, pertaining to, or connected with a navy.

   naval affairs.

4. possessing a navy.

   the great naval powers.

naval

/ ˈneɪvəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, characteristic of, or having a navy

2. of or relating to ships; nautical

Other Word Forms

• navally adverb
• nonnaval adjective
• prenaval adjective
• pronaval adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of naval¹

First recorded in 1585–95; from Latin nāvālis, equivalent to nāv(is) “ship” + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of naval¹

C16: from Latin nāvālis, from nāvis ship; related to Greek naus, Old Norse nōr ship, Sanskrit nau

Example Sentences

Lorenzo, a French naval sailor on an exercise in the Mediterranean who did not give his last name in line with French military custom, told AFP it was "very difficult" to shoot down a drone.

Read more on Barron's

Mr. Bohnert is an engineer at Rand who focuses on defense industrial bases and acquisition of naval, air, unmanned and air-defense systems.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In small factories across America, agile automatons are making everything from parts for AI supercomputers to the hulls of America’s future autonomous naval weapons.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Japan, and the Philippines in naval exercises in the disputed South China Sea.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"Another futile attempt to breach the legal naval blockade and enter a combat zone ended in nothing," Israel's foreign ministry said.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• marine 
• maritime 
• oceangoing 
• seafaring