Etymologically
Log in

bâbord

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the French word bâbord

Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1456 Mystère de la Résurrection, Angers More words from the 15th century
Borrowed from
Middle Dutch bakboord
Ultimate origin
Middle Dutch bakboord

Pronunciation

Forms

bâbord m (plural bâbords)[1] Bas bort (1456), babort (1484, 1486), babord (1548), bas-bord (17th–18th centuries), bâbord (1762).[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Middle Dutch bakboord, the left side of a ship looking from the stern,[3] or Dutch bakboord,[4][5][1] a compound of bak (“back”) and boord (“board, side”), “side of the back”: when the word was formed the helmsman steered with an oar fixed on the right side of the boat and so turned his back to the left side.[3][4][5] Rey prefers Middle Dutch for historical reasons, the maritime contacts of the time.[3] The word has counterparts in Middle Low German backbord, German Backbord and Old English bæcbord.[3] Littré took it from German, with Back (“forecastle”) as first element, which he thought was on the left in old northern boats.[6]

The spelling ⟨bas-bord⟩, from which the modern circumflex comes, is a popular etymology after bas “low”: the crew was said to keep to bâbord while tribord was reserved for the officers.[4][3] Rey finds that explanation unlikely.[3] From French the word passed to the southern languages, as Italian babordo.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Mystère de la Résurrection of Angers (1456) has bas bort for the left side of a ship, with tiebort for the right.[2]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept its nautical sense, the left side of a ship facing the bow;[7][3] by extension a sailor says that whatever is on his left is to bâbord.[6] The figurative faire feu de tribord et de bâbord means to use every means at one's disposal.[7][6]

Timeline

  • 1456 – Bas bort in the Mystère de la Résurrection of Angers.[2]
  • 1484 – Babort in Garcie's sailing manual.[5][3]
  • 1486 – A stribort et a babort in Michel's Mystère de la Passion.[2]
  • 1548 – The spelling babord.[3]
  • 1762 – The spelling bâbord.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (nautical) port, the left side of a ship when facing the bow; opposed to tribord.[7][8][9]
  2. Faire feu de tribord et de bâbord (figurative): to use all one's resources.[7][6]

Word family

  • bâbordais

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire du Moyen Français, version 2015 (DMF 2015), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/dmf
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c d Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  8. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse

Related etymologies

  • placard · also from Middle Dutch
  • bloc · also from Middle Dutch
  • vase · also from Middle Dutch
  • cabaret · also from Middle Dutch
  • pompe · also from Middle Dutch
  • ruban · also from Middle Dutch
  • étape · also from Middle Dutch
  • crabe · also from Middle Dutch
Cite this entry

“Bâbord.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/b%C3%A2bord. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·