A navigator is someone who figures out the route to get from one place to another. On a long car trip, the navigator sits in the passenger seat reading maps or following GPS directions, telling the driver when to turn. On ships, the navigator plots courses across the ocean using charts, compasses, and sometimes the stars themselves.

Before modern technology, navigators had incredibly difficult jobs. Ocean navigators in the 1400s and 1500s guided ships across thousands of miles of empty water with only basic instruments and their knowledge of the stars. One small mistake in navigation could mean getting completely lost or running out of supplies before reaching land.

While we still use navigator for ships and planes, it now applies anywhere someone needs to find their way. Web browsers use navigation to describe moving between websites. Video games have navigation systems to help players explore virtual worlds. You might navigate a tricky conversation with a friend, meaning you carefully find your way through a sensitive topic without causing hurt feelings.