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

Gaza hospital officials accused an Israeli navy vessel of firing on a tent camp near the southern city of Khan Younis, killing a 3-year-old Palestinian boy. —Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 2 Feb. 2026

The team is 6-0 in all-navy, including playoff wins against the 49ers and Los Angeles Rams. —Matt Barrows, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026

The two men both wore navy suits; a small stand bearing navy mugs sat between them. —Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026

Grab the set in 12 other colors, including classic grey and navy. —Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 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