Ship Terminology

The language used for ships is unique. Many terms are different from those used for other means of transportation. There are specific words to refer to the front, back, left and right of a ship.

The front of a ship is called the bow. It can also be called the prow, but the prow refers only to the part of the ship which is above the water. It is a more specific word than bow.

The back of a ship is called the stern. The control room of the ship is the bridge. The bridge is located close to the bow of the ship.

The left of a ship is called the port side. One easy way to remember this is by the number of letters in the two words- both left and port have four letters. The right of a ship is called the starboard side.

The language of a ship is special. Many words such as port, starboard, bow and stern are used only for ships. This adds to the allure of sailing.