navy
n. C / Un. the part of a country's military that fights at sea using ships and submarines. It can also mean a very dark blue color.
n. the branch of a nation's armed forces that conducts military operations at sea. When used to describe color, it refers to a very dark shade of blue, originally worn by officers in the British Royal Navy.
He joined the navy to see the world.
The country is investing in its navy to protect the busy shipping lanes along its southern coast.
Strategic dominance in the region depends largely on the strength of the navy, specifically its ability to deploy carrier strike groups across vast oceanic distances.
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”).
Countable when referring to a specific military force; uncountable when referring to the color.