navy
//ˈneɪvi//
Forms
- Plural
- navies
- Comparative
- more navy
- Superlative
- most navy
Definitions
1.A country's entire maritime military force, including ships and personnel.
- People who get seasick easily shouldn't join the navy.
2.A governmental department in charge of a country's maritime military force.
3.A dark blue colour, usually called navy blue.
1.Having the dark blue colour of navy blue.
- The cover is as navy as a bruise.
- The morning shadow on his chin was almost as navy as his heavy-lidded eyes, his cheekbones exquisitely sculptured in his haughty face.
2.Belonging to the navy; typical of the navy.
- Goodwin was navy through and through.
- It was not what you would picture as a typical meeting with a naval officer. In fact, it was about as navy as an Abbott and Costello movie.
- He was navy through and through; no-nonsense, humorless, and all spit and polish, every hair in its place, every thought gleaned from the manual compiled by brilliant sea dogs of long ago.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #2695
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Etymology
From Middle English nave, navye, from Anglo-Norman, Old French navie, from Latin nāvigia < nāvigium, from Latin nāvigō, nāvis (“boat”), from Proto-Indo-European *néh₂us. Compare Ancient Greek ναῦς (naûs, “ship”), Persian ناو (nâv, “boat, warship”), Sanskrit नाव (nāva, “ship”), Old English nōwend (“mariner, sailor”). By surface analysis, Latin nav- + -y.