|| Starpath online classroom || Glossary || Glossary Index || Home ||

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

navigation n. The process of planning, recording, and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. The word navigate is from the Latin navigatus, the past participle of the verb navigere, which is derived from the words navis, meaning “ship,” and agere meaning “to move” or “to direct.” Navigation of water craft is called marine navigation to distinguish it from navigation of aircraft, called air navigation. Navigation of a vessel on the surface is sometimes called surface navigation to distinguish it from navigation of a submarine. Navigation of vehicles across land or ice is called land navigation. The expression polar navigation refers to navigation in the regions near the geographical poles of the earth, where special techniques are employed.

[close window]