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

The pleated hem elevates it from a simple t-shirt dress, and the red, navy, and light blue options are classic Americana (and oh-so-perfect for summer)! —Ivy Odom, Southern Living, 9 July 2025

Morgan Riddle, a social media influencer and partner of American tennis star Taylor Fritz, also styled a looked by Alessandra Rich, wearing white and navy polka dot coords. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 9 July 2025

Punch it up with a fun color like coral, or stick with classics such as black or navy (Fortunately, almost all 20 colorways are marked down for a limited time). —Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 8 July 2025

Green dressed the part of a Royal Box attendee, in a navy suit, gray tie, and thick black Ray-Ban Wayfarers, matching Miller’s frames. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 8 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