What Does Poop Deck Mean?

In naval architecture, a poop deck is a deck that forms the roof of a cabin built in the rear, or "aft", part of the superstructure of a ship. The name originates from the French word for stern, la poupe, from Latin puppis.

Why do they call it a poop deck?

We quote verbatim: “The name originates from the French word for stern, la poupe, from Latin puppis. Thus the poop deck is technically a stern deck, which in sailing ships was usually elevated as the roof of the stern or “after” cabin, also known as the “poop cabin”.

What is the poop deck on a pirate ship?

The upper-most rear, or the stern, was called the poop deck. This is where the ship's wheel was located — in the rear of the ship, near the rudder — in order to reduce the number of pulleys and ropes needed for steering.