Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One who navigates.
  • noun A device that directs the course of an aircraft or missile.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun One who navigates or sails; especially, one who directs the course of a ship, or is skilful in the art of navigation.
  • noun A laborer on a “navigation” or canal (see navigation, 4), or on a railway. Now usually abbreviated navvy (see navvy).

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One who navigates or sails; esp., one who direct the course of a ship, or one who is skillful in the art of navigation; also, a book which teaches the art of navigation.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun a person who navigates, especially an officer with that responsibility on a ship or an aircrew member with that responsibility on an aircraft
  • noun a sea explorer
  • noun a device that navigates an aircraft, automobile or missile
  • noun obsolete : a labourer on an engineering project such as a canal; a navvy

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the ship's officer in charge of navigation
  • noun in earlier times, a person who explored by ship
  • noun the member of an aircrew who is responsible for the aircraft's course

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Graphics are then permanently applied to the device casing by CafePress, at no charge, before the navigator is shipped to your home.

    TomTom offers free, custom printing on GPS devices 2010

  • Champlain -- navigator, map-maker, writer, diplomat and statesman -- was above all convinced that Canada could be home to goodness and greatness.

    Canada, France and Europe: Is the Atlantic Ocean Shrinking? 2002

  • Edmondson, the navigator from the previous night's mission, to go along on this one because of his experience from the night before.

    Smith, George C. 1990

  • Edmondson, the navigator from the previous night's mission, to go along on this one because of his experience from the night before.

    Risner, James R. "Robbie" 1977

  • Edmondson, the navigator from the previous night's mission, to go along on this one because of his experience from the night before.

    Harris, Carlyle S. "Smitty" 1977

  • Edmondson, the navigator from the previous night's mission, to go along on this one because of his experience from the night before.

    Morgan, Herschel S. 1977

  • Edmondson, the navigator from the previous night's mission, to go along on this one because of his experience from the night before.

    Vohden, Raymond A. 1977

  • Considering the obstacle course over which American economic policy-makers must manoeuvre, the navigator is called upon to display unusual skill and intuitive judgment.

    1970: The Year of Transition 1970

  • This is a contrast particularly present in our minds at the very time when the Northwest Passage, that romantic dream of the navigator from the very beginning of the exploration of the American continent, a dream which was to prove the death of so many, is once again a matter of present exploration, with the ghosts of Frobisher and Franklin watching the progress of the Manhattan and her accompanying icebreakers.

    British Foreign Policy in Transition 1969

  • Edmondson, the navigator from the previous night's mission, to go along on this one because of his experience from the night before.

    Harworth, Elroy E. 1966

Comments

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  • See also navvy. Now rare meaning: a construction worker; specifically a labourer employed in the construction of (originally) a canal, (now freq.) a road, railway, etc.

    Usage:

    Navigator, Navigator rise up and be strong

    The morning is here and there's work to be done.

    Take your pick and your shovel and the bold dynamite

    For to shift a few tons of this earthly delight...

    Their mark on this land is still seen and still laid

    The way for a commerce where vast fortunes were made

    The supply of an Empire where the sun never set

    Which is now deep in darkness, but the railway's there yet.

    --"Navigator," the Pogues, lyrics c. 1985 Shane Macgowan

    Usage: 1969 J. FOWLES _The French Lieutenant's Woman_ xii. 90 ‘I feel like an Irish navigator transported into a queen's boudoir,’ complained Charles, as he kissed Ernestina's fingers in a way that showed he would in fact have made a very poor Irish navvy.

    February 7, 2007