How to pronounce navy
Say it like NAY-vee. Navy has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce navy. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NAY
- vee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Navy pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- veeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of navy
American and British speakers say navy in essentially the same way: /ˈneɪvi/ in the US and /ˈneɪvi/ in the UK.
British respelling: NAY-vee.
What does navy mean?
- an organization of military vessels belonging to a country and available for sea warfare
- a dark shade of blue
- the navy of the United States of America; the agency that maintains and trains and equips combat-ready naval forces
Where does navy come from?
Displaced native Old English sċiphere (literally “ship army”).
Words that rhyme with navy
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of navy.
Questions about saying navy
How do you pronounce navy?
Say NAY-vee. The American pronunciation is /ˈneɪvi/. In British English it is /ˈneɪvi/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in navy?
Navy has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NAY). Broken into parts: NAY · vee.
Do Americans and Brits say navy the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈneɪvi/ and the British form is /ˈneɪvi/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.