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

With plans to expand into air, naval and space from its traditional foothold in land defense and ammunition, Rheinmetall is looking to hire more and faster.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Mexican naval training ship that crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge in May, leaving two crew members dead, returned home on Sunday to official fanfare in the port of Veracruz.

Read more on Barron's

Because radio and GPS signals cannot easily pass through seawater, sonobuoys are vital to modern naval detection systems and they are routinely used by navies during exercises and operations.

Read more on BBC

Esther Guevara, 53, who works in a medical lab, doesn't hide her concern amid tensions over the US naval fleet deployment.

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For enterprising men, money from war, industry or trade was a passport through social frontiers—the tradesman, merchant or lucky naval captain could become a landed gentleman, as happens in Austen’s novels.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• marine 
• maritime 
• oceangoing 
• seafaring