ENGLISH
REFERENCE

nautical

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈnɔtəkəɫ// UK //nˈɔːtɪkəl// nau·ti·cal

adj. relating to ships, sailors, or travel on the ocean. You use it to describe things that have a sea-themed style.

adj. relating to sailors, navigation, or ships. Often used to describe aesthetic choices or technical aspects of maritime life.


SIMPLE

The room is decorated in a nautical style.

CONTEXTUAL

The captain used various nautical charts to navigate the ship safely through the narrow channel.

COMPLEX

The coastal town's architecture is steeped in nautical history, with many buildings featuring salvaged timber from old shipwrecks and weather-beaten brass fittings.

Synonyms
Origin

Borrowed from Middle French nautique + -al, from Latin nauticus (“of or relating to sailors”), from Ancient Greek ναυτικός (nautikós).

Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun.

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