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# What Is a Board
- URL: https://cje.io/2011/09/12/what-is-a-board/
- Published: 2011-09-12T14:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2025-07-08T00:29:16.000Z
- Author: Casey Ellis
- Tags: Hot Takes, Thinking, leadership, Building

The word “corporation” was originally a shipping term – A group of people would pool their resources to fund and form a corporation which was usually an expedition to go out and find treasure, new lands, etc. A famous example of this is the Dutch East India Company.

The term “all aboard” has a similar origin in shipping. The same with “on board”.

So what I’m trying to find out is if the term “board” as in “board of directors” has the same etymological roots. I suspect it does but can’t find anything to back it up… yet.

Does anyone know the answer to this? This is the kind of stuff my mind creates to occupy itself…