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 capitalized : 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

Wearing navy pants and Vans, Phinnaeus practiced riding his skateboard in a skatepark pool. —Hannah Sacks, People.com, 4 Aug. 2025

And Mexico's navy says its Pacific coast could see waves of 1 to 3.3 feet, according to the Associated Press. —Rachel Treisman, NPR, 30 July 2025

Dial options include matte black, tropical brown, and vintage navy, all featuring creamy Super-LumiNova GL old radium markers designed to evoke the faded lume of historic tool watches. —Matthew Catellier, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025

The Chinese navy and coast guard routinely rehearse cutting off the island’s ports, including from energy tankers. —Jim Ellis, Foreign Affairs, 30 July 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