navvy

noun

nav·​vy ˈna-vē How to pronounce navvy (audio)
plural navvies
Synonyms of navvynext
chiefly British
: an unskilled laborer

Word History

Etymology

by shortening & alteration from navigator construction worker on a canal

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of navvy was in 1829

Rhymes for navvy

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Browse Nearby Words

Navratilova
navvy
navy
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Cite this Entry

“Navvy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/navvy. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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Kids Definition

navvy

noun
nav·​vy ˈnav-ē How to pronounce navvy (audio)
plural navvies
chiefly British
: an unskilled laborer

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