Etymology Dictionary

LARBOARD,  the left side of a ship, looking from the stern.  (E. or Scand.)   Cotgrave has:  'Babort, the larboord side of a ship.'   It is also spelt larboord in Minsheu, ed. 1627.   The spelling is probably corrupt; the M.E. spelling appears to be laddebord, if indeed this be the same word.   In Allit. Poems, ed. Morris, C. l. 106, some sailors are preparing to set sail, and after spreading the mainsail, 'þay layden in on ladde-borde and the lofe wynnes' = they laid in [hauled in?] on the larboard and set right the loof (see Luff).   β. It is certain that board is the same as in star-board, and that the word is of E. or Scand. origin, probably the latter.   The only word which answers in form to ladde is Swed. ladda, to lade, load, charge, answering to Icel. hlaða, A.S. hladan, E. lade.   Ladda is pronounced laa in prov. Swed. and Norw. (Rietz, Aasen).   We find Icel. hlaða seglum = to take in sail.   γ. Beyond this, all is uncertainty; we may conjecture that the sails, when taken down, were put on the left side of the ship, to be out of the way of the steersman, who originally stood on the starboard (= steer-board) or right side of the ship.   See Starboard.   ¶ The F. babord = G. backbord, where back means 'forecastle,' orig. placed on the left side (Littré). [†]

ADDENDA

In Hackluyt's Voyages, 1598, i. 4, we find the spellings leereboord and steereboord.