navigation
UK[ˌnæv.ɪˈɡeɪ.ʃən]US[ˌnæv.əˈɡeɪ.ʃən]
n
The process or activity of accurately ascertaining one's position and planning and following a route.
n
The passage of ships, aircraft, etc., from one place to another.
n
The act of moving around a website, application, etc., to find the information you want.
Morpheme Breakdown
nav
ig
ation
nav
ship
ig
drive
ation
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'navigation' charts a direct course from ancient seafaring to modern guidance systems. Its core components originate in Latin: navis (ship) and agere (to drive). The literal compound navigare thus meant "to drive a ship". Over centuries, the term's application broadened from its strict maritime context. It first expanded to include air travel and, in the digital age, metaphorically to the process of finding one's way through information spaces, while retaining its fundamental sense of directed movement from one point to another.
Analysis
Structure: nav (ship) + ig (drive) + ation (noun suffix)
nav: From Latin navis, meaning "ship". This root functions as the core semantic element related to seafaring.
ig: From Latin agere, meaning "to drive, to lead, to act". In this compound, it is assimilated to -ig- and functions as a verbal element meaning "to drive".
ation: A suffix of Latin origin (-ationem) used to form nouns indicating an action or process.
Examples
Early explorers relied on the stars for ocean navigation.
The new aircraft features advanced navigation systems.
The website's intuitive navigation makes it easy to find products.