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 line is composed almost entirely of rich neutral hues of navy, gray, and cream with occasional pops of color that add interest without compromising elegance. —Caroline Reilly, Robb Report, 1 Oct. 2025

Smith paired the shoes with a navy shirtdress styled in undone menswear mode. —Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2025

The Chinese mainland is only about 250 miles from Kunsan, and the Bohai Sea, where the Chinese navy often holds exercises, is about 600 miles from the US air base. —Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025

The Chinese navy already makes port calls in Myanmar, but these are brief stays in facilities too primitive to provide naval advantage. —Dan Swift, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 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