Navy slang was invented to save time, confuse outsiders, and keep Navy tradition alive—usually in that order. It’s colorful, blunt, and occasionally impossible to explain. Sailors can have a full conversation that sounds like absolute gibberish to everyone else. Consider this your survival guide before stepping aboard.
A
Aft — Toward the rear of the ship.
All Hands — Entire ship’s crew.
B
Belay — Stop what you are doing.
Bird Farm — Aircraft carrier.
Boondoggle — Useless task.
Bravo Zulu (BZ) — “Well done.”
Bulkhead — Wall.
C
Chit — Written request or permission slip.
Chow — Food.
Chow Hall — Dining area / mess deck.
Crank — Sailor assigned temporary mess duty.
D
Deck Ape — Boatswain’s Mate.
Deck log — Official ship’s logbook.
Deep Six — Throw away
Ditty Bag — Small bag for personal items.
E
E-Club — Enlisted Club.
Eyes in the Boat — Pay attention.
F
Fathom — Six feet of depth.
FIDO — Forget it, drive on.
Field Day — Major cleaning.
Fleet-up — Advance in responsibility.
G
Galley — Kitchen.
Gangway — Passageway / “make room.”
Gear Adrift — Equipment left unsecured.
GQ (General Quarters) — Battle stations.
H
Hard Over — Turn sharply.
Head — Bathroom.
Haze Gray — Navy ship color
I
Irish Pennant — Loose thread on uniform.
J
Joe Navy — Overly motivated sailor.
K
Klick — Kilometer.
Knucklehead — Foolish sailor.
L
Liberty — Authorized time off.
Lifer — Career sailor.
M
Mast — Captain’s disciplinary hearing.
Mess Decks — Dining and gathering area.
Midrats — Midnight rations/late-night meal.
Muster — Roll call.
N
NUB — Non-useful body (inexperienced sailor).
O
OD — Officer of the Deck.
Old Man — Commanding officer.
Over the Side — Off the ship.
P
P-way — Passageway.
POD — Plan of the Day.
Port — Left side of ship.
Q
Quarters — Living/sleeping spaces.
Quick work — Hurry up.
R
Rack — Bed.
Ricky Tick — Quickly.
S
Sea Daddy — Experienced mentor.
Secure — Stop working.
Shellback — Sailor who crossed the equator.
Shitcan — Trash can / discard.
Skivvies — Underwear.
Skipper — Commanding officer.
Slug — Sleep.
Snipe — Engineering crew.
Squared Away — Organized and ready.
Starboard — Right side of ship.
T
TAD — Temporary assigned duty.
Topside — Upper deck.
U
Underway — Ship is moving.
Unrep — Underway replenishment.
V
Vulture’s Row — Observation area on a carrier.
W
Watch — Duty shift.
Wardroom — Officers’ dining/lounge.
Water King — Person controlling freshwater usage.
WOG — Sailor who hasn’t crossed the equator.
X
XO — Executive Officer.
Y
Yardbird — New or inexperienced sailor.
Z
Zulu Time — Greenwich Mean Time / UTC.
A Handful of Colorful Extras
- Anchor Clanker — Surface sailor.
- Bubblehead — Submariner.
- Boot — New recruit.
- Can Do — Positive attitude
- Skate — Avoiding work.
- Geedunk — Snacks/junk food.
- Nut to Butt — Standing very close in line.
- Shore Patrol (SP) — Military police on liberty.
- Hot Rack — Sharing a bed on rotating shifts.
- Sandbox — Middle East deployment.
- Hollywood Shower — Long shower (wasting water).
