Editing Navy (section)

== Etymology and meanings ==
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First attested in English in the early 14th century,<ref>{{OEtymD|navy}}</ref> the word "navy" came via [[Old French]] ''navie'', "fleet of ships", from the [[Latin]] ''navigium'', "a vessel, a ship, bark, boat",<ref>{{L&S|navigium|ref}}</ref> from ''navis'', "ship".<ref>{{L&S|navis|ref}}</ref> The word "naval" came from Latin ''navalis'', "pertaining to ship";<ref>{{L&S|navalis|ref}}</ref> [[cf.]] [[Greek language|Greek]] {{lang|grc|ναῦς}} (''naus''), "ship",<ref>{{LSJ|nau{{=}}s|ναῦς|ref}}.</ref> {{lang|grc|ναύτης}} (''nautes''), "seaman, sailor".<ref>{{LSJ|nau/ths|ναύτης|shortref}}.</ref> The earliest attested form of the word is in the [[Mycenaean Greek]] compound word {{lang|gmy|𐀙𐀄𐀈𐀗}}, '''''na-u'''-do-mo'' (*{{lang|grc-Latn|naudomoi}}), "shipbuilders", written in [[Linear B]] syllabic script.{{refn|group=n|Found on the [[Knossos|KN]] U 736, [[Pylos|PY]] Na 568, PY Vn 865 and PY Xn 990 tablets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palaeolexicon.com/ShowWord.aspx?Id=16815|website=Palaeolexicon. Word study tool of ancient languages|title=The Linear B word na-u-do-mo|access-date=25 March 2014|archive-date=8 October 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241008020130/http://www.palaeolexicon.com/Word/Show/16815|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://minoan.deaditerranean.com/resources/linear-b-sign-groups/na/na-u-do-mo/|title=na-u-do-mo|work=Minoan Linear A & Mycenaean Linear B|last=Raymoure|first=K.A.|publisher=Deaditerranean|access-date=25 March 2014|archive-date=13 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013042530/http://minoan.deaditerranean.com/resources/linear-b-sign-groups/na/na-u-do-mo/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=KN 736 U (unknown) |url=https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/Index/item/chosen_item_id/671 |access-date=25 March 2014 |archive-date=25 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325101008/https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/Index/item/chosen_item_id/671 |url-status=live }} {{cite web |title=PY 568 Na (1) |url=https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/Index/item/chosen_item_id/4844 |access-date=25 March 2014 |archive-date=25 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325101412/https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/Index/item/chosen_item_id/4844 |url-status=live }} {{cite web |title=PY 865 Vn + fr. (Ci) |url=https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/Index/item/chosen_item_id/5039 |access-date=25 March 2014 |archive-date=25 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325102235/https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/Index/item/chosen_item_id/5039 |url-status=live }} {{cite web |title=PY 990 Xn (unknown) |url=https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/Index/item/chosen_item_id/5139 |website=DĀMOS: Database of Mycenaean at Oslo |publisher=[[University of Oslo]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325100317/https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/Index/item/chosen_item_id/5139 |archive-date=25 March 2014 }}</ref> Cf. {{lang|grc|ναυπηγός}}.<ref>{{LSJ|nauphgo/s|ναυπηγός}}.</ref>}}

The word formerly denoted fleets of both commercial and military nature. In modern usage "navy" used alone always denotes a military fleet, although the term "[[Merchant Navy|merchant navy]]" for a commercial fleet [[fossil word|still incorporates]] the non-military [[word sense]]. This overlap in word senses between commercial and military fleets grew out of the inherently [[dual-use technology|dual-use]] nature of fleets; centuries ago, nationality was a trait that unified a fleet across both civilian and military uses. Although nationality of commercial vessels has little importance in peacetime trade other than for [[flag of convenience|tax avoidance]], it can have greater meaning during wartime, when [[supply chain]]s become matters of patriotic attack and defense, and when in some cases private vessels are even temporarily converted to military vessels. The latter was especially important, and common, before 20th-century military technology existed, when merely adding [[artillery]] and [[naval infantry]] to any sailing vessel could render it fully as martial as any military-owned vessel. Such [[privateer]]ing has been rendered obsolete in blue-water strategy since modern missile and aircraft systems grew to leapfrog over artillery and infantry in many respects; but privateering nevertheless remains potentially relevant in [[littoral (military)|littoral warfare]] of a [[limited war|limited]] and [[asymmetric warfare|asymmetric]] nature.