adjective
- of or relating to warships: a naval battle; naval strength.
- of or relating to ships of all kinds: naval architecture; naval engineer.
- belonging to, pertaining to, or connected with a navy: naval affairs.
- possessing a navy: the great naval powers.
adjective
- of, relating to, characteristic of, or having a navy
- of or relating to ships; nautical
adj.early 15c., from Old French naval (14c.) and directly from Latin navalis “pertaining to a ship or ships,” from navis “ship,” from PIE *nau- “boat” (cf. Sanskrit nauh, accusative navam “ship, boat;” Armenian nav “ship;” Greek naus “ship,” nautes “sailor;” Old Irish nau “ship;” Welsh noe “a flat vessel;” Old Norse nor “ship”). An Old English word for “naval” was scipherelic.