starboard

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈstɑːbəd/, /-ˌbɔːd/ (UK); /ˈstɑɹˌbəɹd/, /-ˌboɹd/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English sterbord,^[2][3] inherited from Old English stēorbord,^{[2][4][5][3][6]} from Old English stēor (“steering paddle, rudder”) + bord (“ship's side”),^{[2][4][5][3][6]} literally “steer-board”.^[5][7] Similar formations are Old Norse stjórnborði, Dutch stuurboord and German Steuerbord, and French tribord and Italian stribordo are borrowed from Germanic.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The right-hand side of a ship as one faces forward (c. 893).^[8][4][5]

Semantic evolution

Early Germanic boats were steered by a paddle worked over the right side, so that side was the “steering side”.^[5][6][7] The steersman had his back to the other side, which was sometimes called the “back-board” (Old English bæcbord, whence French bâbord).^[5] The opposite side was later called larboard and eventually port.^[5][7] The adjective is recorded from 1495, the adverb from 1634, and the verb, to turn the helm to starboard, from 1598.^[8][4][3] The word is now also used for aircraft and spacecraft.^[2][3][1]

Timeline

• c. 893 – Old English stēorbord.^[8]
• before 1400 – stere-bourde.^[4]
• 1495 – adjective.^[8][4]
• 1598 – verb, to put the helm to starboard.^[8][3]
• 1634 – adverb.^[8]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. The right-hand side of a ship or aircraft as one faces forward.

Adjective

1. Of, on, or toward the right-hand side of a vessel or aircraft.

Adverb

1. To or toward the right-hand side.

Verb

1. To turn the helm or rudder to the right.

Word family

• astarboard

Related words

• larboard
• port
• steer
• board

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
3. ^ a b c d e f Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
5. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c Hendrickson, Robert (2008), The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins, 4th ed., New York: Facts on File
8. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press