nautical

adjective

nau·​ti·​cal ˈnȯ-ti-kəl 

ˈnä-

: of, relating to, or associated with sailors, navigation, or ships

a dictionary of nautical terms

nautical flags

nautical skills

nautically

ˈnȯ-ti-k(ə-)lē 

ˈnä-

adverb

Synonyms of nautical

• navigational
• naval
• marine
• maritime

Examples of nautical in a Sentence

a dictionary of nautical terms

collected sextants and other antique nautical equipment

Recent Examples on the Web

Tyla‘s take on nautical dressing ushered in a new wave on the styling trend, wearing a design by George Trochopoulos for the 2025 Glamour Women of the Year Awards in London on Thursday night. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 31 Oct. 2025

Two cars named Above and Beyond with subtle but unmistakable nautical references—including the port and starboard colors on a boat’s lights, along with design motifs of several famous superyachts. —Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2025

Don’t limit yourself to wearing these shoes in nautical destinations—even city dwellers are getting in on this trend. —Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 24 Oct. 2025

Together, Dickson and Sydney have crafted a feminine, sweetly detailed aesthetic that references vintage Mugler, Versace, and JPG as much as custom Erdem, nautical Coperni, and sharp suiting via Monse. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin nauticus, from Greek nautikos, from nautēs sailor, from naus ship — more at nave

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing nautical

• nautical mile

Rhymes for nautical

• aeronautical
• astronautical

Kids Definition

nautical

adjective

nau·​ti·​cal ˈnȯt-i-kəl 

ˈnät-

: of or relating to sailors, navigation, or ships

nautically

-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Etymology

from Latin nauticus "nautical," from Greek nautikos (same meaning), from nautēs "sailor," from naus "ship" — related to astronaut, nausea see Word History at nausea