naval

adjective

na·​val ˈnā-vəl How to pronounce naval (audio)
1
obsolete : of or relating to ships or shipping
2
a
: of or relating to a navy
b
: consisting of or involving warships

Examples of naval in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For months, the Houthis have been using missiles and drones to attack commercial and naval vessels traversing the Red Sea in protest of Israel’s war in Gaza. Jennifer Hassan, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 The port city is home to HMNB Devonport, the largest naval base in Western Europe. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 Over 45 attacks from the Houthis on commercial and naval vessels since mid-November present a threat to the global economy and freedom of navigation and international commerce, according to a joint statement from the U.S. and its coalition allies. Chris Massaro, Fox News, 29 Feb. 2024 Out of favour French naval officer Olivier Voutier finds the love of his life on the face of the French consul’s wife of Milos island, his only hope to conquer her is to steal the statue of Venus that has just been discovered on the island. John Hopewell, Variety, 23 Feb. 2024 Many cruise lines have recently canceled or rerouted sailings away from the Red Sea amid continued attacks on commercial and naval vessels. Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2024 One expat who’s based in Rota (close to the joint Spanish-U.S. naval base) tells me that Spain’s courses are less expensive than Portugal’s, and they’re actually enjoyed by Spanish people, not just other expats and tourists. Kathleen Peddicord, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 Zhao, who worked at a naval base in California, pleaded guilty for sending his Chinese handler plans for U.S. military exercises in the Indo-Pacific region, including blueprints for a radar system on U.S military’s base in Okinawa, Japan. Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 22 Feb. 2024 In line with that claim, when Moscow suggested that North Korea join Chinese-Russian naval drills in September, Beijing did not respond. Oriana Skylar Mastro, Foreign Affairs, 19 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'naval.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin navalis, from navis ship

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of naval was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near naval

Cite this Entry

“Naval.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/naval. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

naval

adjective
na·​val ˈnā-vəl How to pronounce naval (audio)
: of or relating to a navy or warships

More from Merriam-Webster on naval

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