naumachia

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromναυμαχία
2. Latin · learned borrowing fromnaumachia
3. English todaynaumachia

Learned borrowing from Latin naumachia, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek ναυμαχία (naumakhía). Compare naumachy.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 16th c. The recreation of a sea battle staged for entertainment.
• from 17th c. The location where such recreated sea battles took place; a building featuring an artificial body of water.