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

The navy statement did not provide an exact number of fatalities, but local media reported at least six deaths. — Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026

Chat had taught her about Japanese fashion and about the creativity that could come from expressing your personality through your clothes, but Zi usually put on the same sweater—navy, with hearts stitched into it. — Jessica Contrera, New Yorker, 13 July 2026

Against that backdrop, here’s how the world’s largest navies stack up by raw fleet size, ranked by total submarine count rather than propulsion type, age, or combat capability. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 11 July 2026

Choose from 11 different colors, from classic black and navy solid hues to a fun, statement-making leopard print. — Kate Donovan, Southern Living, 11 July 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