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Glite Dictionary
⬅️ The left side ⬅️ On the left side
portside

portside

2 4.3
On the left side of a ship or plane when facing forward
  • adjective
  • /ˈpɔrtˌsaɪd/
  • Specialized
: babor
  • Passengers gathered on the portside deck to watch the sunset over the ocean.

Examples

  • The damage was limited to the portside wing of the aircraft after the storm.

  • Please take a seat on the portside bench.

  • The crew painted the portside railing bright red for better visibility.

  • The lifeboats are located on the portside of the ship.

  • The crew painted the portside railing bright red for better visibility.

  • Passengers gathered on the portside deck to watch the sunset over the ocean.

  • The lifeboats are located on the portside of the ship.

Synonyms

port
vsportside
  • Specialized
39 6.2

On the left side of a ship or aircraft when facing forward

is the modern preferred term for the same side
leftwards
vsportside
1 2.6

Toward the left side

is specific to ships and aircraft rather than general movement toward the left side
larboard
vsportside
  • Archaic
1 9.9

The left side of a ship or plane when you face forward

is the modern standard term replacing the older expression
aport
vsportside
  • Specialized
9.9

On the left side of a ship or boat when facing forward

is the general word for being on or toward that left side

Surface Forms

portside positive

Morphology

portside = port + side (transparent) = port + side

Clear compound of 'port' (left side) + 'side'; the meaning is directly the left side of a vessel or aircraft.

Etymology

Portside comes from the word port, which means 'harbour'; sailors often tied the left side of a ship to the port when loading, so they began calling that side the portside, and today portside is used to describe something on the left side of a ship or aircraft when you face forward.