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• blue-water
  blue-water

  adjective

  designed to operate on and range over the open sea; oceangoing.
• blue water
  blue water

  noun

  water in the form of lakes and rivers, or collected in underground reservoirs. Compare white water, green water.

blue-water

¹ American  

[bloo-waw-ter, -wot-er] / ˈbluˌwɔ tər, -ˌwɒt ər /

adjective

1. designed to operate on and range over the open sea; oceangoing.

   a bluewater navy that can be dispatched throughout the world, far from its home base.

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blue water ² American  

[bloo waw-ter] / ˈblu ˌwɔ tər /

noun

• blue waters
  plural

1. water in the form of lakes and rivers, or collected in underground reservoirs. Compare white water, green water.

2. the open sea.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• blue-water
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• blue waters
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of blue-water

First recorded in 1900–05

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

blue-water blue water

The country has to be able to build manned and unmanned ships for a global, blue-water, sea-control and sea-denial Navy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026

And while Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has been forced back from Ukraine’s coast, Beijing possesses a blue-water navy that has surpassed the U.S.

From Washington Times ● Feb. 19, 2023

Navy warfare strategists working on arming the surface fleet for massive blue-water combat.

From Fox News ● Jul. 17, 2020

As Europe’s empires continued to spread globally in the 1890s, Mahan’s prolific prose persuaded Washington that national defense required the creation of a genuine blue-water navy and bases in both the Caribbean and the Pacific.

From Salon ● Dec. 8, 2018

Dilke, who had described himself as a constant supporter of the blue-water view, agreed with the Government with regard to invasion, and welcomed Mr. Balfour's moderate view with regard to the needs of India.

From The Life of the Rt. Hon. Sir Charles W. Dilke, Volume 2 by Stephen Lucius Gwynn

Along Italy's eastern coast, bands of lighter blue water stand out against the deeper blue offshore.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026

And how does Brin think Lake Tahoe retains its clear, deep blue water?

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 1, 2026

These passages are interspersed with photos of bright sun, yellow sand, blue water and vibrantly colored foods.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

I used a flash to create the silhouette of her against the bright blue water of the pool and the spray she was throwing with her massive turn.

From BBC ● Dec. 25, 2025

A blue water dragon twisted through waves that splashed across the page, all fins and no wings.

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

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