Toward or on the port (left) side of a ship, the opposite direction from starboard.
From 'a-' (toward) + 'port.' The word 'port' for the left side comes from the days when ships were steered with a starboard oar on the right, leaving the port side to dock at ports.
The word 'port' for the left side of a ship comes from the fact that the port side is where cargo was historically loaded—'starboard' (right side) comes from the steering oar, so sailors needed a different word for the left.
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