starboard

starboard · noun, adverb, adjective, verb¹

1. Proto-Germanic*stiurijaną
2. Proto-West Germanic*stiurijan
3. Proto-Germanic*burdą
4. Proto-West Germanic*bord
5. Old Englishstēorbord
6. Middle Englishsterbord
7. English todaystarboard

The noun is derived from Middle English sterbord, stere-bourd, stere-burd (“starboard”), from Old English stēorbord (“right side of the ship looking forward, starboard”), from Proto-West Germanic *steurubord, from *stiurijan (“to direct, steer”) (from Proto-Germanic *stiurijaną (“to direct, steer”), possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)twerH- (“to agitate, stir up; to propel; to urge on”)) + *bord (“board, plank”) (from Proto-Germanic *burdą (“board, plank”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“to pierce; to strike”) or *bʰers- (“point; tip; top”, noun)), referring to early Germanic ships where the rudder or steering oar was set to the right side to accommodate right-handed crew. By surface analysis, steer (verb) + board (“side (of a ship)”, noun). The adverb, adjective, and verb are derived from the noun.

starboard · noun²

1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eHs-
2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂stḗr
3. Proto-Germanic*sternǭ
4. Proto-West Germanic*sternō
5. Proto-West Germanic*sterrō
6. Old Englishsteorra
7. Middle Englishsterre
8. Englishstar
9. Proto-Germanic*burdą
10. Proto-West Germanic*bord
11. Old Englishbord
12. Middle Englishbord
13. Englishboard
14. English todaystarboard

From star (“asterisk”, noun) + board (“short for message board”, noun). The earliest known use was in 2013 on Meta Stack Exchange: see the quotation.

Words from the same roots