navy

[ney-vee]

noun

plural

navies 

1. the whole body of warships and auxiliaries belonging to a country or ruler.

2. (often initial capital letter),  the complete body of such warships together with their officers and enlisted personnel, equipment, yards, etc., constituting the sea power of a nation.

3. (often initial capital letter),  the department of government charged with its management.

4. navy blue.

5. Archaic.,  a fleet of ships.

adjective

1. belonging or connected to a navy; naval.

   navy vessels in the harbor;

   a navy officer with combat experience aboard a submarine.

2. of the color navy blue.

   Either tie will look great with your navy suit.

navy

/ ˈneɪvɪ /

noun

1. the warships and auxiliary vessels of a nation or ruler

2. (often capital) the branch of a country's armed services comprising such ships, their crews, and all their supporting services and equipment

3. short for navy blue

4. archaic,  a fleet of ships

5. ( as modifier )

   a navy custom

Other Word Forms

• pronavy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of navy¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English navie, from Middle French, from unattested Vulgar Latin navia, equivalent to Latin nāv(is) “ship” + -ia noun suffix ( -y ³ )

Word History and Origins

Origin of navy¹

C14: via Old French from Vulgar Latin nāvia (unattested) ship, from Latin nāvis ship

Example Sentences

The company -- the leading shipbuilder for the Dutch navy -- employs some 12,500 people and owns several shipyards across the world, constructing notably frigates, combat support vessels and maritime patrol ships.

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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

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has run military exercises with the Chinese navy and fielded Chinese-made weapons in its armed forces.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

While politicians talk of toughening action, navy and coastguard officers point out that a country's power to act fades the further you go out to sea.

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The Admiralty was the headquarters of the Russian navy, and all along Nevsky Prospect were sailors in uniform.

Read more on Literature