Meanings
nounnavigable waters pl (plural only)
- USpluralplural onlylawThose waters that are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide and/or are presently used, or have been used in the past, or may be susceptible for use to transport interstate or foreign commerce. A determination of navigability, once made, applies laterally over the entire surface of the waterbody, and is not extinguished by later actions or events which impede or destroy navigable capacity.
Cite this entry
APA
navigable waters. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/navigable%20waters
MLA
“navigable waters.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/navigable%20waters. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “navigable waters,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/navigable%20waters.
Source: navigable waters on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.