Daggerboard
/ˈdæɡ.ər.bɔːrd/noun
A retractable board on a sailboat used to reduce sideways drift.
Did you know?Despite the violent name, a daggerboard has no connection to knives; it’s called that because its straight, vertical shape resembles a dagger stuck into the water.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
dager
“A short thrusting sword or knife.”
Old English
English
bord
“A plank, board, or flat surface.”
17th Century
English
dagger-board
“A board on a vessel set vertically to resist sideways drift.”
Modern English
English
daggerboard
“A retractable fin-keel on a sailboat that limits leeway.”