'navally' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'navalis', where 'navis' meant 'ship' and the suffix '-alis' meant 'pertaining to'.

'navally' changed from the Latin adjective 'navalis' (via Old French and Middle English forms such as 'naval'), and the modern English adjective 'naval' later took an adverbial form 'navally'.

Initially it meant 'of or pertaining to ships', and over time it evolved to mean specifically 'relating to the navy or naval forces' and, as an adverb, 'in a naval manner' or 'by naval means'.