nave

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈnāv 

: the hub of a wheel

nave

2 of 2

noun (2)

: the main part of the interior of a church

especially : the long narrow central hall in a cruciform church that rises higher than the aisles flanking it to form a clerestory

Examples of nave in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Citizens lacking access to either were encouraged to find their way to stores, bars, libraries, a neighbor’s home, a YMCA or a church’s nave. —Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 23 Jan. 2025

The man entered the church's upper nave and headed directly to the statue and its crown, according to church archivist Anne Kirkwood, as reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer. Church staff discovered the theft Sunday while preparing for a baptism, noticing broken glass and the missing crown. —John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025

Inside Brixworth Church The choir, or presbytery—the heart of the church—is separated from the nave by a large arch. —David Nikel, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024

The nave columns are original to the fifth century, as are 27 of the 42 mosaic panels of Old Testament scenes on the walls above. —David Laskin, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English nave, naff, going back to Old English nafu (also nafa, masculine n-stem), going back to Germanic *naƀō- (whence also Old Saxon nava "nave, hub," Middle Dutch nave, Old High German naba, Old Icelandic nǫf "fastening by which beams of a log house are held together at the corner, nave of a wheel"), going back to Indo-European *h₃nob^h-eh₂, whence also Latvian naba "navel, nave of a wheel," Sanskrit nābhā- (in the personal name Nā́bhānédiṣṭaḥ "one closely related"), and with variant stem formations Old Prussian nabis "navel, nave," Sanskrit nábhyam "nave of a wheel" (Indo-European *h₃nob^h-i̯o-), Old Danish naff, neuter, "nave," Danish, Swedish & Norwegian nav, Avestan nāfa- "navel, origin, blood relationship" (Indo-European *h₃nob^h-o-), Sanskrit nā́bhiḥ "nave, navel, midpoint, origin, kinship (Indo-European *h₃nob^h-i-)

Note: Compare navel.

Noun (2)

Medieval Latin navis, from Latin, ship; akin to Old English nōwend sailor, Greek naus ship, Sanskrit nau

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1673, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nave

• brave
• cave
• clave
• crave
• fave
• gave
• grave
• knave
• lave
• pave
• rave
• shave

Kids Definition

nave

1 of 2 noun

ˈnāv 

: the hub of a wheel

nave

2 of 2 noun

: the long central main part of a church