Port and starboard are nautical terms for watercraft and spacecraft, referring respectively to the left and right sides of the vessel, when aboard and facing the bow (front).

Sailors began calling the right side the steering side, which soon became "starboard" by combining two Old English words: stéor (meaning "steer") and bord (meaning "the side of a boat").

Apr 29, 2025 · Starboard: The right side of the ship. These terms remain constant regardless of the observer's orientation, eliminating confusion during navigation and operations.

Oct 24, 2025 · Port is the left side, and starboard is the right side when facing the bow (the front). A helpful way to remember this is that both “port” and “left” are four-letter words.

The meaning of STARBOARD is the right side of a ship or aircraft looking forward. How to use starboard in a sentence.

Feb 22, 2025 · The terms Port and Starboard originated centuries ago when ships were steered with a single oar. Early vikings used the right-hand side for the steering oar because most sailors were right …

May 16, 2023 · Port and starboard are terms used on nautical vessels and aircraft to refer to directions. When facing the front of the vessel, port refers to the left side, and starboard refers to the right side.

Apr 23, 2025 · Let’s take a closer look at the etymologies of both port and starboard, because there’s a curious story behind how they came to be such a well-known pair in nautical terminology.

Jun 7, 2025 · Most sections of a ship have odd names, such as port and starboard. These refer to the left and right sides of the ship, respectively, if you are facing the bow (or front) of the ship.

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