navy
/ˈneɪvi
/noun (plural navies)
1 (often the navy) The branch of the armed services of a state which conducts military operations at sea: she joined the navy in 1990...
- There were also brochures from the different sections of the military: the navy, army, marines, etc.
- This problem extends into all branches of the Canadian Armed Forces: the navy, the air force and army.
- Hundreds of the missiles are slated to be produced for the navy - the only branch of the military which has until now shown interest in purchasing the new weapons system.
1.1The ships of a navy: we built their navy...
- In the Second World War carriers replaced battleships as the capital ships of modern navies because aircraft could perform the functions of naval guns more effectively.
- It gives the audience a gritty, detailed, and carefully researched view of daily life and deadly combat aboard a ship of Nelson's navy.
- No ship in Victoria's navy was as well supplied with wine, pickles, and preserves as Challenger.
1.2 literary A fleet of ships.
Synonyms
fleet, flotilla, armada, naval (task) force, squadron
2 (also navy blue) [mass noun] A dark blue colour: the dress comes in navy, gunmetal grey, or black [as modifier]: a navy blue suit...
- The girls are all demurely dressed in pleated navy blue skirts with pale blue and white sailor tops.
- I put my face gently against his chest and wept openly onto his dark navy blue shirt.
- He was wearing dark riding breeches, which were either a very dark navy blue, or black.
Synonyms
navy blue, dark blue, indigo, midnight blue, ink blue
Origin
Late Middle English (in the sense 'ships collectively, fleet'): from Old French navie 'ship, fleet', from popular Latin navia 'ship', from Latin navis 'ship'.