Navicular is derived from the Latin navicula, little boat (the diminutive of navis, boat).

There are two bones in the skeleton commonly called the navicular, one a carpal and the other a tarsal; both are named for their resemblance to little boats. However, the Terminologia Anatomica only recognizes the tarsal as the navicular; the carpal is more properly called the scaphoid (from the Greek skaphe that, like navicula, also means a small boat and from which comes the word skiff).

Other words derived from navis include navigation and navy.

The right navicular of the foot. The concave, proximal surface (the top of the boat) articulates with the head of the talus. Its stern is on the foot's medal aspect. Photo by C. Carpenter.

Modified from www.healthcareers.umn.edu