navicular

1 of 4

adjective (1)

na·​vic·​u·​lar nə-ˈvi-kyə-lər 

1

: shaped like a boat

a navicular bone

2

: of, relating to, or involving a navicular bone

navicular disease

navicular

2 of 4

noun (1)

: a navicular bone:

a

: one situated on the big-toe side of the tarsus in humans

called also scaphoid

b

: scaphoid sense 2

c

: one situated in the hoof of a horse behind the coffin bone

navigable

3 of 4

adjective (2)

nav·​i·​ga·​ble ˈna-vi-gə-bəl 

1

a

: deep enough and wide enough to afford passage to ships

navigable waterways

b

: capable of being navigated

navigable terrain

2

: capable of being steered

navigability

ˌna-vi-gə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

navigably

ˈna-vi-gə-blē 

adverb

navigability

4 of 4

noun (2)

nav·​i·​ga·​bil·​i·​ty ˌnavə̇gəˈbilətē 

-ətē, 

-i

: the quality or state of being navigable

Synonyms of navicular

Adjective (2)

• cleared
• clear
• passable
• negotiable

Examples of navicular in a Sentence

Adjective (2)

The marsh was navigable only by canoe.

this map shows which rivers are navigable and which aren't

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Following his 2005 breakout season, he was diagnosed with Müller-Weiss syndrome, which causes a malformation of the navicular bone in the midfoot. — Max Gao, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Nadal was diagnosed with Mueller-Weiss syndrome early in his career, a rare degenerative condition that attacks the navicular bone in the foot. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 29 May 2026

Noun

The navicular is covered by cartilage and lacks a rich blood supply, causing a slow recovery process. — David Woods, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Nov. 2021

Adjective

The International Hydrographic Organization — of which both the United States and Canada are members — works to ensure that the world’s seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and charted uniformly, and also names some of them. — Bill Barrow, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026

But much can be made more navigable for vacationing families like mine simply by taking intentional steps to consider our experiences and needs, and not only as an afterthought. — Nicole Chung, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

Middle English naviculare, from Latin navicula boat, diminutive of navis

Noun (1)

New Latin (os) naviculare a navicular bone

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for navicular

• acicular
• articular
• curricular
• cuticular
• funicular
• lenticular
• particular
• radicular
• reticular
• testicular
• vehicular
• acromioclavicular

Medical Definition

navicular

1 of 2 noun

na·​vic·​u·​lar nə-ˈvik-yə-lər 

variants or navicular bone

: a boat-shaped bone:

a

: the one of the seven tarsal bones of the human foot that is situated on the big-toe side between the talus and the cuneiform bones

called also scaphoid

b

: scaphoid sense 2

c

: a small bone enclosed within the hoof of the horse behind the junction of the coffin bone and short pastern bone

navicular

2 of 2 adjective

1

: resembling or having the shape of a boat

navicular cells

2

: of, relating to, or involving a navicular bone

navicular fractures