# Naval

/ˈneɪvəɫ/ (US) · /nˈeɪvəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/naval
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 2. ships in general

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

relating to ships or shipping in a general way.

For teachers: pertaining to ships, shipping, or navigation in a broad sense, though this usage is less common than the military sense.

- The museum has a collection of naval maps from the nineteenth century.
- The historian's research focuses on naval architecture and the evolution of hull design during the age of sail.

## Examples

- The city is home to a large naval base.
- The two countries conducted a joint naval exercise to improve their coordination at sea.
- Historians often debate whether the empire's decline was precipitated by a series of naval defeats that left its merchant shipping vulnerable to privateers.

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