1. the central part of a church building, extending from the entrance to the choir or altar, where the congregation sits
Usage: architectural term
2. the hub of a wheel, the central part through which the axle passes
Usage: technical

Examples

• The cathedral's nave was filled with rows of wooden pews.
• Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows above the nave.
• The priest walked down the center of the nave toward the altar.
• The wheel's nave was made of reinforced steel.
• The axle connects to the nave at the center of the wheel.
• Medieval churches often had a long nave with side aisles.