ENGLISH
REFERENCE

starboard

n. uncountable
C1 Advanced US //ˈstɑɹbɝd// UK //stˈɑːbəd// star·board

n. the right side of a ship or aircraft when you are looking toward the front. It is the opposite of the left side, which is called port.

n. the right-hand side of a vessel or aircraft when facing forward. Frequently contrasted with 'port' to avoid the ambiguity of 'left' and 'right' in a nautical context.


SIMPLE

The captain turned the ship to starboard.

CONTEXTUAL

As the ferry approached the island, passengers gathered on the starboard side to see the lighthouse.

COMPLEX

Navigational regulations require vessels to yield to any craft approaching from the starboard side, a rule designed to prevent collisions in busy shipping lanes.

Antonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English sterbord, stere-bourd, stere-burd, from Old English stēorbord, from Proto-West Germanic *steurubord, equivalent to steer + board (“side (of a ship)”), referring to ancient ships with the steering oar set to the right (to accommodate right-handed crew). Ships had to dock on their left (port) side because the steering oar on the right would get in the way, which is how the left became known as the port side.

Etymology 2

From star + board. The earliest known use was in 2013 on Meta Stack Exchange.

Usage

Often used as a modifier before another noun ('the starboard engine') or as a direction after 'to'.

© 2026 English Reference