navy

navy — noun

1. the branch of a country's military that operates on oceans and seas using ships,

1.nounA2
Definition

the branch of a country's military that operates on oceans and seas using ships, submarines, and aircraft, and is responsible for protecting its waters and coastlines

Example

Harper's grandfather served in the navy for thirty years before retiring.

serve in the navy — common career collocation

The South Korean navy sent two destroyers to help with the rescue operation.

country-name + navy — standard naming pattern

Common collocations
  • serve in the navy
  • join the navy
  • navy officer
  • navy ship
  • navy base
  • leave the navy
Synonyms
  • naval forces

    more formal and broader term, includes ships, personnel, and support systems

  • fleet

    refers specifically to a group of navy ships rather than the entire organization

Antonyms
  • army

    the land-based branch of a country's military

  • air force

    the air-based branch of a country's military

Grammar Patterns

the + navy

country-name + navy

Usage Note

When referring to a specific country's naval force, 'navy' is often capitalized (e.g., 'the US Navy'), and is always preceded by 'the' in its singular form.

Common Mistakes

He joined the naval after college.
He joined the navy after college.
'Naval' is an adjective, not a noun; use 'navy' for the military branch itself.

2. a deep blue that is almost black, taking its name from the traditional color of

2.nounB1
Definition

a deep blue that is almost black, taking its name from the traditional color of naval uniforms

Example

Zola prefers navy for business suits because it looks professional and classic.

[color] for [purpose] — explaining a color choice

Mizuki painted her front door navy to match the dark wooden shutters on the windows.

painted [object] [color] — resultative structure

Common collocations
  • in navy
  • shade of navy
  • navy is
  • wear navy
  • painted navy
Synonyms
  • navy blue

    the full name of the color, slightly more formal

  • midnight blue

    a similar dark blue that is slightly less black in tone

Antonyms
  • light blue

    the pale opposite end of the blue spectrum

  • white

    commonly contrasted with navy in design and fashion

Grammar Patterns

[color] + verb

in + [color]

Usage Note

As a color name, 'navy' is treated as an uncountable noun. It is often expanded to 'navy blue' for clarity, though the shorter form is very common in fashion and design contexts.

navy — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Navy' refers to a country's entire sea-based military organization, including its ships, submarines, aircraft, and personnel. 'Naval forces' is a more formal term that covers the same scope but is often used in official documents or strategic discussions. 'Fleet' is narrower — it describes a specific group of ships operating together under one command, so the US Navy has several fleets (e.g., the Seventh Fleet) but is not itself a fleet. 'Armada' is historical and dramatic, usually describing a large fleet sent for battle (e.g., the Spanish Armada), and is rarely used for modern forces. If you want to talk about the institution as a career or branch of service, use 'navy'. If you are describing a specific group of ships on a mission, 'fleet' or 'task force' is more precise.

navy ↗naval forcesfleet ↗armada

Common collocations

Nouns

  • navy blue
  • navy SEALs
  • navy officer

Prepositions

  • in the navy
  • at the navy
  • with the navy

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanLatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'navy' entered English through Old French 'navie', meaning 'fleet of ships', which came from Latin 'navis', meaning 'ship'. The Latin root traces back to the Proto-Indo-European word '*nau-', also meaning 'boat' or 'ship'. The color sense developed in the 1800s, named after the dark blue uniforms worn by officers in the British Royal Navy.