I was reading a piece of nautical science fiction a few days ago, and it used the word "larboard", which I had never met before. The built-in dictionary function of my Kindle told me that was another word for the "port" side of a ship, and briefly explained why ... and then I realized (one likely reason) why sailors called them "port" and "starboard": when a ship was pulled up to a dock, "port" was the side that the ship could load or unload passengers or cargo to or from the port, while (though here I'm less certain) "starboard" was the side away from the lights of the port and toward the stars.

Does anyone else have any discoveries of interesting extension-of-meaning stories to share?

Old English stēorbord ‘rudder side’ (see steer1, board), because early Teutonic sailing vessels were steered with a paddle over the right side.

(which is the side AWAY from the port so the pilings will not accidentally crush the steering board).