navy

noun

na·​vy ˈnā-vē 

plural navies

1

: a group of ships : fleet

2

: a nation's ships of war and of logistic support

3

often Navy : 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

For their two red carpet appearances during the festival, Meghan kept things simple, wearing first a chic all-black look followed by a navy belted coat. —Meg Walters, InStyle, 12 Apr. 2026

Harry, 41, wore a simple navy suit with a white button-down shirt. —Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026

This navy Continental Carry-on Luggage blends durability with smart design details that frequent travelers will appreciate right away. —Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026

Developed by Thales, the system can empower navies to act fast, secure critical infrastructure, and dominate expeditionary and amphibious operations. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 11 Apr. 2026

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

Phrases Containing navy

• master chief petty officer of the navy
• navy bean
• navy blue
• navy yard

Rhymes for navy

• gravy
• wavy

Kids Definition

navy

noun

na·​vy ˈnā-vē 

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