# navy

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈneɪvi/ · frequency rank #2,632

## Definitions
1. A country's entire maritime military force, including ships and personnel.
2. A governmental department in charge of a country's maritime military force.
3. Any fleet of maritime vessels, and especially the entire fleet of any particular nationality, including vessels that are commercial, military, or both.
4. A dark blue colour, usually called navy blue.

## 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”).
Displaced native Old English sċiphere (literally “ship army”).

## Easily confused with
- **nov** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/navy-vs-nov)
- **nay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/navy-vs-nay)
- **naw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/navy-vs-naw)
- **ney** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/navy-vs-ney)
- **nazi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/navy-vs-nazi)
- **nova** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/navy-vs-nova)
- **nosy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/navy-vs-nosy)
- **neve** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/navy-vs-neve)
- **Neva** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/navy-vs-neva)
- **novi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/navy-vs-novi)
- **na** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/na-vs-navy)
- **nah** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nah-vs-navy)
- **nap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nap-vs-navy)
- **Nat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nat-vs-navy)
- **NAS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nas-vs-navy)
- **nan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nan-vs-navy)
- **nav** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nav-vs-navy)
- **nag** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nag-vs-navy)
- **nab** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nab-vs-navy)
- **nai** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nai-vs-navy)

## Common misspellings (6)
`anvy`, `navvy`, `navyy`, `nayv`, `nnavy`, `nvay`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/navy