nauta (ante-class., poet., and late Lat. nāvĭta), ae, m. [for navita, from navis], a sailor, seaman, mariner: ego nautas eum non putabam habiturum, Cic. Att. 9, 3, 2; id. Fam. 16, 9, 4; nautas gubernatoresque comparari jubet, Caes. B. G. 3, 9: pavidus nauta, Hor. C. 1, 1, 14: nautae = mercatores, id. S. 1, 1, 29: permixtus nautis et furibus et fugitivis, Juv. 8, 174.
Uncontracted form navita (mostly poet.): nulla est voluptas navitis major, Plaut. Men. 2, 1, 1; Cato ap. Paul. ex Fest. p. 169 Müll.: timidi navitae, Cic. poët. Tusc. 2, 10, 23: navita de ventis, de tauris narrat arator, Prop. 2, 1, 43: navita tum stellis numeros et nomina fecit, Verg. G. 1, 137: omnis navita ponto Umida vela legit, id. ib. 1, 372 sq.: navitas precum ejus (Arionis) commiseritum esse, Gell. 16, 19, 11; cf. Charon. Ap. M. 6, 20, p. 181; so, navita turpis aquae, Tib. 1, 10, 36: navita Porthmeus, Petr. poet. 121, 117.