Most English speakers have never heard the French word sabord. In English, it simply means gunport—the opening in the side of a wooden warship through which a cannon fired. Discover the history of this centuries-old French naval term, its connection with the verb saborder ("to scuttle"), and why it inspired the name SABORDS®.

What Is a Sabord?

What Does the French Word "Sabord" Mean?

The Story Behind the Name SABORDS®

If you've ever seen the famous French expression:

"Mille millions de mille sabords!"

you may have wondered what the word sabord actually means.

Outside the French-speaking world, very few people know this word because it has no direct equivalent in everyday English.

In English, a sabord is called a gunport.

It is the opening cut into the side of a wooden warship through which a cannon could fire.

The French word sabord has been part of naval vocabulary for centuries and is the origin of the name SABORDS®.

What Is a Gunport (Sabord)?

A gunport—called a sabord in French—is an opening built into the hull of a sailing warship to allow a cannon to fire.

When the ship was not in combat, the opening was closed by a heavy wooden hatch known as a gunport lid.

Before battle, the lids were raised, the cannons were run out on their wheeled carriages, and they fired through the gunports.

On the great ships of the line, dozens of gunports were arranged across several gun decks.

When an entire broadside fired simultaneously, the result was one of the most impressive displays in naval history.

Interior view of the gun deck aboard an 18th-century ship of the line. Open gunports overlook the sea as a cannon fires through the ship's hull. This realistic scene illustrates how gunports, gun carriages, and naval artillery operated aboard the great warships of the Age of Sail.

A Famous French Expression

Realistic reconstruction of an 18th-century French 74-gun ship of the line. Perspective view of a broadside with a cannon firing, illustrating gunports, naval artillery, and the firepower of the great warships of the French Royal Navy.

French readers immediately recognize the word sabord thanks to Captain Haddock from The Adventures of Tintin.

His famous exclamation:"Mille millions de mille sabords!"

has introduced generations of readers to this old French naval word.

Although many people know the expression, few realize that sabord is an authentic maritime term meaning gunport.

The French Verb "Saborder"

The French verb saborder comes directly from the word sabord.

Originally, it meant to deliberately sink your own ship to prevent it from being captured by the enemy.

One of history's most famous scuttlings is :

Toulon (1942): the French fleet was scuttled to prevent its capture.

View from the Port of Toulon during the scuttling of the French fleet on November 27, 1942. To prevent their warships from falling into German hands, French sailors deliberately scuttled much of the fleet. This historic event remains one of the most significant episodes in the history of the French Navy.

Aerial view illustrating the scuttling of the French fleet in the Port of Toulon on November 27, 1942. To prevent their warships from falling into German hands, French sailors deliberately sank much of the fleet, marking one of the most significant events in French naval history.

Today, the word is also used figuratively in French.

Someone can saborder a project, a business, or even a career by causing its own failure.

Why Is the Brand Called SABORDS®?

At the age of twenty, I crossed the Atlantic Ocean by sail during the winter.

That adventure eventually inspired a patented invention.

When it came time to name it, SABORDS became the obvious choice.

The word reflects the sea, historic sailing ships, adventure, and the ingenuity of sailors.

It also contains a private joke.

To build my very first prototype, I simply took a regular pair of boxer briefs... and cut it apart.

In a way, I had "sabordé" it—the French word that also gave rise to the English verb to scuttle.

That simple experiment eventually became the SABORDS® brand.