naval

adjective

na·​val ˈnā-vəl How to pronounce naval (audio)
1
obsolete : of or relating to ships or shipping
2
a
: of or relating to a navy
b
: consisting of or involving warships

Examples of naval in a Sentence

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.
The moves follow a Chinese naval flotilla's recent voyage around nearly all of Japan's territory in less than a month. Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025 His Baltic Sea fleet is the oldest Russian naval flotilla, dating back to the early 1700s when it was established under Czar Peter the Great. James Stavridis, Twin Cities, 13 Oct. 2025 This ability is usually linked to air and naval strikes. Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2025 In response, Britain sent a strong naval expedition into Danish waters which, from September 2-5 1807, bombarded Copenhagen. Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for naval

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin navalis, from navis ship

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of naval was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Naval.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/naval. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

naval

adjective
na·​val ˈnā-vəl How to pronounce naval (audio)
: of or relating to a navy or warships

More from Merriam-Webster on naval

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