navy English · revision 4532

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1330|origins=la navis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈneɪ.vi/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|navie]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|navie|t=fleet; ship]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[la|nāvigia]], plural of nāvigium “vessel, boat”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) or from a popular Latin collective navia “ship”,^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) from nāvis “ship”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[ine-pro|*neh₂us|alt=*nau-|t=boat]].^(Etymonline) Latin nāvis is cognate with Greek naus “ship” and Sanskrit nau-.^(Barnhart 1988) It is related to [[naval]] and [[navigate]].^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Ships or shipping, and a fleet, especially one gathered for war: about 1330 in the OED,^(OED 1989) before 1338 in Barnhart, in Mannyng's Chronicle,^(Barnhart 1988) the mid-14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The meaning “a nation's organized sea power”, the whole of its warships, is from the 1530s (1540 in the OED).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The officers and men serving in it are from 1648.^(OED 1989) The older senses, a single ship and ships in general, are obsolete.^(OED 1989) Old English had other words for a war fleet: sciphere, usually of Viking invaders, and scipfierd, of the home defences.^(Etymonline) ''Navy blue'' (1840) was the colour of the British naval uniform,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and ''navy bean'' (1856, American English) was so called because the beans were grown for the Navy.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1330 – a fleet, ships.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1540 – a nation's warships.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1648 – the officers and men of a navy.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1840 – ''navy blue''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1856 – ''navy bean''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # All the warships of a nation.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A nation's whole [[military]] organization for war at sea, with its ships, people and shore bases.^(AHD)

+ # ''(archaic)'' A [[fleet]] of ships.^(AHD)^(Hoad 1986)

+ # [[navy blue]], a dark blue.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[naval]]

+ * [[navy bean]]

+ * [[Navy Cross]]

+ * [[navy yard]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fleet]]

+ * [[nave]]

+ * [[navicular]]

+ * [[nef]]

+ * [[navigate]]

+ * [[nautical]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}