navy
[ ney-vee ]
/ ˈneɪ vi /
noun, plural na·vies.
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.
Archaic. a fleet of ships.
RELATED CONTENT
What Are The Three Places That Form The Bermuda Triangle?In March 1918, a U.S. Navy ship with a crew of 309 departed Barbados and was never seen again. Did the ship capsize? Is there a supernatural explanation? The area in which the ship disappeared is the infamous Bermuda Triangle. Also known as the Devil’s Triangle, it is a heavily traveled shipping lane in the Atlantic Ocean where ships and planes have been known to …
Real Fans Only: The Meaning Behind Obsessive FandomWhether you’re a Deadhead, Belieber, or a member of Raider Nation, extreme passion lies at the heart of all fans. Oodles of fan sites, message boards, Tumblr feeds, and those old-fashioned print newsletters help fans share the love. Fans use language to set themselves (as a group) apart from fans of rival teams or other artists. They create catchy nicknames and make references that may …
RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
- navratilova,
- navratilova, martina,
- navsat,
- navstar global positioning system,
- navvy,
- navy bean,
- navy blue,
- navy cross,
- navy cut,
- navy gray
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. 2019
Examples from the Web for navy
navy
/ (ˈneɪvɪ) /
noun plural -vies
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
Word Origin for navy
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
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
navy
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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper