navy
[ney-vee]
- the whole body of warships and auxiliaries belonging to a country or ruler.
- (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.
- (often initial capital letter) the department of government charged with its management.
- navy blue.
- Archaic. a fleet of ships.
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Origin of navy
1300–50; Middle English navie < Middle French < Vulgar Latin *navia, equivalent to Latin nāv(is) ship + -ia -y3
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for navy
Contemporary Examples
He was a great lover of the navy, and he liked me because of it.
The Navy and Marine Corps versions of the F-35 have differing configurations and rely on an external gun pod.
Within hours, the Indonesian navy said dozens of bodies were being seen.
The Italian navy tweeted regular updates of the saved-to-stranded passenger ratio.
He said the brokers promise that the Italian navy will pick them up, which he says has actually driven the prices down.
Historical Examples
As one result of this, our Navy ranks larger, in comparison, than it ever did before.
I went down to the Post Office once and got a bill about the Navy!
The Foolish LoversSt. John G. Ervine
"That's of course, if he was a captain in the British navy," said Mr. Palmer.
Tales And Novels, Volume 5 (of 10)Maria Edgeworth
It was afterwards understood that he was destined for the navy.
Ned MyersJames Fenimore Cooper
I entered the navy, then, for the first time, as a common Jack.
Ned MyersJames Fenimore Cooper
navy
- the warships and auxiliary vessels of a nation or ruler
- the navy (often capital) the branch of a country's armed services comprising such ships, their crews, and all their supporting services and equipment
- short for navy blue
- archaic, or literary a fleet of ships
- (as modifier)a navy custom
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Word Origin
C14: via Old French from Vulgar Latin nāvia (unattested) ship, from Latin nāvis ship
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for navy
n.
early 14c., "fleet of ships, especially for purposes of war," from Old French navie "fleet, ship," from Latin navigia, plural of navigium "vessel, boat," from navis "ship" (see naval). Meaning "a nation's collective, organized sea power" is from 1530s. The Old English words were sciphere (usually of Viking invaders) and scipfierd (usually of the home defenses). Navy blue was the color of the British naval uniform. Navy bean attested from 1856, so called because they were grown to be used by the Navy.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper