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

Army chief Asim Munir will now be elevated to the new post of Chief of Defence Forces, placing the navy and air force under his command in addition to the army. —Reuters, CNN Money, 13 Nov. 2025

Leader Xi Jinping has pushed to modernize the military, particularly the navy, to challenge US dominance in the South China Sea and assert sovereignty claims over Taiwan. —Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025

The Chinese navy confirmed on Saturday that the country's most advanced aircraft carrier, CNS Fujian, will be homeported at a base in the contested South China Sea, where Beijing's territorial claims overlap with those of a number of other countries. —Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025

George's crisp navy suit was paired with a white striped tie. —Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025

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