English
naval
Naval comes from Latin nāvālis, from nāvis ‘ship, boat, vessel’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₂- ‘to swim’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)neh₂-‘to swim’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*néh₂us‘boat’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnāvis‘ship, boat, vessel’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnāvālis
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600naval
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 2012same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)neh₂-‘to swim’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*néh₂us‘boat’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnāvis‘ship, boat, vessel’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnāvālis
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600naval
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 2012same form
Earliest quotation: 2012, William E. Carter, The British Longitude Act Reconsidered: “Conditions were horrendous aboard most British naval vessels at…”
Formed from navy + -al
Proto-Indo-European *néh₂us ‘boat’
…
Latin nāvigium ‘vessel, ship’
Latin nāvigia
Old French navie
Middle English navye
English navy
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₂- ‘to swim’
nurse, insulin, nutrient, nurture, nausea, nutritious, insular, nourish, insula, 22 more
through Proto-Indo-European *néh₂us ‘boat’
noise, nautical, aeronautics, nautilus, nef, astronautics, 9 more
through Latin nāvis ‘ship, boat, vessel’
navy, navigation, navigate, navigator, navigable, nao, nau, nacelle, navicular, 4 more
Today it means
adj Of or relating to a navy.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₂- / naval