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

The interiors feature warm wood tones, contemporary furnishings, and subtle nautical touches. —Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 25 Nov. 2025

Kennebunkport Captains Collection For visitors wanting to dive into the historic nautical charm of Kennebunkport, look no further than the Kennebunkport Captains Collection. —Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 23 Nov. 2025

Beyond a street-side gated entry, a wood footbridge lined with nautical rope empties at the house. —Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 18 Nov. 2025

Wild North is billed as a nautical sci-fi action novel set in the Arctic in the future. —Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 13 Nov. 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