navy

American  

[ney-vee] / ˈneɪ vi /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• pronavy adjective

Etymology

Origin of navy

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 )

Explanation

A navy is a military force made up of boats and ships that are equipped for defense and fighting. If you always get seasick, you might think about joining an army instead of a navy. During a war, a country's navy does the important job of protecting its shores, as well as attacking the enemy's coasts. A navy is made up of battleships, submarines, and smaller vessels, as well as planes that can land on aircraft carriers or on water. The color that's also called navy, a dark blue, was the original color of the British navy. The Latin root of navy is navis, "ship."

Example Sentences

It has established that it can control the key maritime chokepoint, even without a navy and an airforce.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Iran’s arsenal of land-based antiship missiles, drones, and small attack craft, not its conventional navy, poses the main threat.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Iran’s navy might have been hit hardest of all.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

It added that he had decided to focus on battering Iran's missiles and navy, before looking to pressure Iran diplomatically to reopen the Strait.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

That editor invited Skelton to take part in astronaut testing with the cooperation of NASA, the air force, and the navy.

From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson