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

Go bold by styling these pieces together, or take a more practical route by mixing them into a palette of khaki, black, white, and navy. —Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 10 Dec. 2025

Befsn Work Tote Bag The stunning navy colorway of this Befsn Work Tote Bag is guaranteed to go with everything in your wardrobe year-round, making the $29 price tag extra valuable. —Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 9 Dec. 2025

According to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the 's deployment in early to mid-November marked the second time the New Zealand navy has monitored and surveilled North Korean illicit activities in waters surrounding Japan since 2024. —Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025

At the time of his disappearance, Quang was seen wearing a navy coat, a shirt with pink and white stripes, jeans and sneakers, according to police. —Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 8 Dec. 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