navy

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*néh₂us
2. Latin · derived fromnāvigō
3. Latin · derived fromnāvigia
4. Old French · derived fromnavie
5. Middle English · inherited fromnave
6. English todaynavy

From Middle English nave, navye, from Anglo-Norman, Old French navie, from Latin nāvigia < nāvigium, from Latin nāvigō, nāvis (“boat”), from Proto-Indo-European *néh₂us. Compare Ancient Greek ναῦς (naûs, “ship”), Persian ناو (nâv, “boat, warship”), Sanskrit नाव (nāva, “ship”), Old English nōwend (“mariner, sailor”). By surface analysis, Latin nav- + -y. Displaced native Old English sċiphere (literally “ship army”).

Words from the same roots