navy

noun

na·​vy ˈnā-vē How to pronounce navy (audio)
plural navies
1
: a group of ships : fleet
2
: a nation's ships of war and of logistic support
3
often capitalized : the complete naval establishment of a nation including yards, stations, ships, and personnel
4
: a dark grayish purplish blue

Examples of navy in a Sentence

A similar submarine is used by several foreign navies. a career in the navy The shirt comes in black, white, and navy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
China’s navy showed off its J-15T fighter jet at the 2024 Zhuhai Air Show on Nov. 12, 2024. Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2025 It had only been delivered to the navy three years earlier in 2019. Simon Perry, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025 This is the second Taiwan Strait transit carried out by the Japanese navy since September 2024, when destroyer JS Sazanami navigated the waterway with Australian and New Zealand vessels, becoming Japan's first warship to transit the strait since World War II. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025 Because farmhouse and industrial design share similar color palettes (neutrals, navy, rust, deep green) this style crossover is fairly easy to recreate in your home. Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for navy

Word History

Etymology

Middle English navie, from Anglo-French, from Latin navigia ships, from navigare

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of navy was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Navy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/navy. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

navy

noun
na·​vy ˈnā-vē How to pronounce navy (audio)
plural navies
1
: a fleet of ships
2
: a nation's warships
3
often capitalized : a nation's complete equipment and organization for sea warfare
4
: a dark purplish blue

More from Merriam-Webster on navy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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