ESEN
Which one to use?Advancedadjectivenoun
NavalvsNavel
'Naval' relates to a navy or warships; 'navel' is the small depression at the centre of the abdomen.
Side-by-side comparison
Naval
adjective"Naval" (with 'a') is the adjective relating to a navy or its warships. "Naval battle" = a battle fought at sea. "Naval officer" = an officer in the navy.
The naval base was home to three aircraft carriers.
He had a distinguished naval career spanning thirty years.
Naval power was crucial to controlling trade routes in the 18th century.
Navel
noun"Navel" (with 'e') is the belly button: the small scar-like depression in the centre of the abdomen. "Navel orange" = the orange variety with a bump at the base. Pronounced differently.
The doctor examined the navel for signs of infection.
Navel oranges are seedless and easy to peel.
The belly dancer's navel was adorned with a jewel.
Common mistake
- •"A navel officer" when writing about the military is wrong (correct: naval officer).
- •Conversely, "a naval orange" is wrong: the seedless orange is named for its belly-button shape: "navel orange."
Trick to remember it
- •"Naval" has A for armada and anchor, all things navy.
- •"Navel" ends in EL like "belly", your belly button is in your belly.
Quick rule
- •Is it about the military navy? "Naval".
- •Is it the belly button or the seedless orange? "Navel".
Did you know?
Navel oranges get their name from the belly-button-like protrusion at the base. That protrusion is actually a secondary undeveloped fruit growing inside the primary one, a biological phenomenon called "secondary carpels." The variety was developed in Brazil in the 19th century and introduced to California in 1873, where it became the most popular orange in the U.S. Interestingly, the navel orange cannot reproduce by seeds (it has none), every navel orange tree in the world is a clone of that first California planting, propagated by cuttings.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
Her belly button ring got caught on her top. It hurt her _____ .
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
He spent 25 years in the _____ and served on several different ships.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
AcceptvsExcept
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
AdvicevsAdvise
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
AffectvsEffect
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
AislevsIsle
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy