English Reference
noun

navigation

n.
US /ˈnævəˈɡeɪʃən/ UK /nˌævɪɡˈeɪʃən/ nav·i·ga·tion UK spelling navigations

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of planning and following a route to get somewhere in a car, ship, or plane.

    the theory and practice of charting and following a course for a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft.

    Simple

    The pilot used satellite navigation to find the small airport in the fog.

    In context

    Modern maritime navigation relies heavily on electronic charting systems, though traditional celestial methods are still taught as a backup.

    steeringroutingwayfinding
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Computing

    the way you move between different pages or parts of a website or app.

    the process of accessing and moving between different components of a software user interface.

    Simple

    The website's navigation was so confusing that I couldn't find the 'buy' button.

    In context

    The developers redesigned the mobile app to simplify the navigation, ensuring that users could reach the settings menu in two taps.

  3. 03 C2 Proficiency British EnglishTechnical

    a canal or a river that has been changed so that boats can travel on it.

    a man-made or modified waterway, such as a canal, designed for commercial or recreational shipping.

    Simple

    The old navigation was once used to carry coal from the mines to the city.

    In context

    The regional authority invested in dredging the navigation to allow larger freight vessels to reach the inland port.

Yet they are essential for navigation at sea or on rivers and are true witnesses of past naval technologies," said first author Dr.

ScienceDaily· 21 Aug 2026

Some operators may be employed directly by the shipowner, while others may work for independent ship-management companies, technology providers or specialist navigation services.

Phys.org· 21 Aug 2026

Borrowed from Middle French navigation, from Latin nāvigātiōnem, accusative singular of nāvigātiō (“sailing, navigation”), from nāvigātus, perfect passive participle of nāvigō (“sail”). Morphologically navigate + -ion.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin nāvigātiōnem
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated