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

Early one morning last fall, Nathaniel Felder left his home, in Maplewood, New Jersey, dressed in a navy sweatshirt and a gray yarmulke. —Eyal Press, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026

Their navy has been deemed combat ineffective. —Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 29 Mar. 2026

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has its own navy that also relies on smaller vessels to do swarm attacks and drop mines. —ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026

Two Mexican aid boats that disappeared at sea while delivering aid to Cuba have been located northwest of the Cuban capital of Havana following a search and rescue operation, Mexico’s navy said Saturday. —Uriel Blanco, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 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