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General Terms
Katana:
Long sword
Daisho:
Katana and wakizashi set, primary swords of the Samurai
Wakizashi:
Medium sword
Kogatana:
Mini tanto
Tanto:
Short sword
Tachi:
Original Samurai sword worn suspended from an intricate belt
Blade Terms
Edge:
Self-explanatory
False Edge:
The short edge on the back of a saber, extending back from the point.
Forte/Foible:
The strong/weak half of the blade, respectively.
 Fuller:
A groove meant to lighten and strengthen the blade, often misnamed a blood groove.
Point:
Self-explanatory.
Point of Percussion:
The point where the forte and foible meet, considered the best point to strike with.
Ricasso:
The unsharpened part of the blade where it extends out from the handle. Maker's marks are usually put here.
Tang:
The part of the blade extends through the handle, attaching to the pommel.
Hilt Terms
Backstrap:
A metal strap running down the back of the handle, resting in the palm of the hand.
Capstan Rivet:
A rivet holding the end of the tang to the pommel.
Ear:
A small, semicircular extension of the backstrap on either side of the grips.
Ferrule:
A washer-like piece of metal between the grips and guard, holding the handle secure.
Grips:
Yup, the part you hold.
Knuckle Bow:
A single strap running from the quillon to the pommel that guards the front of the hand.
Langets:
Short extensions of the guard that run parallel to the blade and serve to hold the sword secure in the scabbard.
Pas d'Ane:
A finger ring between the quillon and a dish guard. Usually found on smallswords and rapiers.
Pommel:
 The part of the handle that keeps your pinky from sliding off. Also holds the whole sword together.
Quillon:
The cross piece on a sword.
Sword Knot:
A decoration that hangs from the guard, usually a symbol of rank for officers.
Scabbard Terms
 Bands:
Rings around the scabbard that are attached to the carrying rings.
Drag:
 The tip of the scabbard, which often hits the ground.
Rings:
The parts that dangle from the scabbard, used to attach the sword to a person's belt or other clothing.
 Throat:
The opening in the end of the scabbard where a sword is inserted into the scabbard.
Sword Types (Just a Few of the Many Names for Swords)
backsword, baselard, basket hilt, bastard (hand and a half) sword, bearing sword, broadsword, cinquedea, cleadhemh-mohr, claymore, cutlass, cuttoe, dao, dha, epee, falcata, falchion, ferengi, flamberge, foil, gladius, gunto, hanger, katana, kaskara, khanda, khopesh, macahuitl, parang, pata, presentation sword, riding sword, rapier, saber, saber bayonet, scimitar (shamshir), shasqua, short sword, smallsword, sword of tenure, tachi, talwar, tuck, two-handed sword, wakizashi, yatagan, zweihender
Fencing Glossary
Absence of Blade:
When the blades are not touching; opposite of engagement.
Advance:
A movement forward by step, cross, or balestra.
Aids:
The last three fingers of the sword hand.
Analysis:
Reconstruction of the fencing phrase to determine priority of touches.
Assault:
Friendly combat between two fencers.
Attack:
The initial offensive action made by extending the sword arm and continuously threatening the valid target of the opponent.
Attack au Fer:
An attack that is prepared by deflecting the opponent's blade, eg. beat, press, froissement.
Backsword:
An archaic, edged, unpointed sword used in prizefighting; also singlestick.
Balestra:
A forward hop or jump, typically followed by an attack such as a lunge or fleche.
Bayonet:
A type of electrical connector for foil and sabre.
Beat:
An attempt to knock the opponent's blade aside or out of line by using one's foible or middle against the opponent's foible.
Baudry Point:
A safety collar placed around a live epee point to prevent dangerous penetration.
Bind:
An action in which the opponent's blade is forced into the diagonally opposite line.
Black Card:
Used to indicate the most serious offences in a fencing competition. The offending fencer is usually expelled from the event or tournament.
Bout:
An assault at which the score is kept.
Broadsword:
Any sword intended for cutting instead of thrusting; sabre.
Broken Time:
A sudden change in the tempo of one fencer's actions, used to fool the opponent into responding at the wrong time.
Button:
The safety tip on the end of practice and sporting swords.
Change of Engagement:
Engagement of the opponent's blade in the opposite line.
Commanding the Blade:
Grabbing the opponent's blade with the off-hand, illegal in sport fencing.
Compound:
Also composed; an action executed in two or more movements; an attack or riposte incorporating one or more feints.
Conversation:
The back-and-forth play of the blades in a fencing match, composed of phrases (phrases d'armes) punctuated by gaps of no blade action.
Counter-Attack:
An offensive action made against the right-of-way, or in response to the opponent's attack.
Counter-Disengage:
A disengage in the opposite direction, to deceive the counter-parry.
Counter-Parry:
A parry made in the opposite line to the attack; ie. the defender first comes around to the opposite side of the opponent's blade.
Counter-Riposte:
An attack that follows a parry of the opponent's riposte.
Counter-Time:
An attack that responds to the opponent's counter-attack, typically a riposte following the parry of the counter-attack.
Corps-A-Corps:
Lit. "body-to-body"; physical contact between the two fencers during a bout, illegal in foil and sabre.
Coulé:
Also graze, glise, or glissade; an attack or feint that slides along the opponent's blade.
Coup Lancé:
A launched hit; an attack that starts before a stop in play but lands after. Valid for normal halts, but not valid at end of time.
Coupé:
Also cut-over; an attack or deception that passes around the opponent's tip.
Croise:
Also semi-bind; an action in which the opponent's blade is forced into the high or low line on the same side.
Cross:
An advance or retreat by crossing one leg over the other; also passé avant (forward cross), passé arriere (backwards cross).
Cut:
An attack made with a chopping motion of the blade, normally landing with the edge.
Deception:
Avoidance of an attempt to engage the blades; see disengage, coupe
Derobement:
Deception of the attack au fer or prise de fer.
Direct:
A simple attack or riposte that finishes in the same line in which it was formed, with no feints out of that line.
Disengage:
A circular movement of the blade that deceives the opponent's parry, removes the blades from engagement, or changes the line of engagement.
Displacement:
Moving the target to avoid an attack; dodging.
Double:
In epee, two attacks that arrive within 40-50 ms of each other.
Double-Time:
Also "dui tempo"; parry-riposte as two distinct actions
Double:
An attack or riposte that describes a complete circle around the opponent's blade, and finishes in the opposite line.
Dry:
Also steam; fencing without electric judging aids.
Engagement:
When the blades are in contact with each other, eg. during a parry, attack au fer, prise de fer, or coule.
En Garde:
Also On Guard; the fencing position; the stance that fencers assume when preparing to fence.
Envelopment:
An engagement that sweeps the opponent's blade through a full circle.
Epee:
A fencing weapon with triangular cross-section blade and a large bell guard; also a light duelling sword of similar design, popular in the mid-19th century; epee de terrain; duelling sword.
False:
An action that is intended to fail, but draw a predicted reaction from the opponent; also, the back edge of a sabre blade.
Feint:
An attack into one line with the intention of switching to another line before the attack is completed.
Fencing Time:
Also temps d'escrime; the time required to complete a single, simple fencing action.
FIE:
Federation Internationale d'Escrime, the world governing body of fencing.
Finta in Tempo:
Lit. "feint in time"; a feint of counter-attack that draws a counter-time parry, which is decieved; a compound counter-attack.
Fleche:
Lit. "arrow"; an attack in which the aggressor leaps off his leading foot, attempts to make the hit, and then passes the opponent at a run.
Flick:
A cut-like action that lands with the point, often involving some whip of the foible of the blade to "throw" the point around a block or other obstruction.
Florentine:
An antiquated fencing style where a secondary weapon or other instrument is used in the off hand.
Flying Parry or Riposte:
A parry with a backwards glide and riposte by cut-over.
Foible:
The upper, weak part of the blade.
Foil:
A fencing weapon with rectangular cross-section blade and a small bell guard; any sword that has been buttoned to render it less dangerous for practice.
Forte:
The lower, strong part of the blade.
French Grip:
A traditional hilt with a slightly curved grip and a large pommel.
Froissement:
An attack that displaces the opponent's blade by a strong grazing action.
Fuller:
The groove that runs down a sword blade to reduce weight.
Glide:
See coulé.
Guard:
The metal cup or bow that protects the hand from being hit. Also, the defensive position assumed when not attacking.
Hilt:
The handle of a sword, consisting of guard, grip, and pommel.
Homologated:
Certified for use in FIE competitions, eg. 800N clothing and maraging blades.
In Quartata:
A counter-attack made with a quarter turn to the inside, concealing the front but exposing the back.
In Time:
At least one fencing time before the opposing action, especially with regards to a stop-hit.
Indirect:
A simple attack or riposte that finishes in the opposite line to which it was formed.
Insistence:
Forcing an attack through the parry.
Interception:
A counter-attack that intercepts and checks an indirect attack or other disengagement.
Invitation:
A line that is intentionally left open to encourage the opponent to attack.
Italian Grip:
A traditional hilt with finger rings and crossbar.
Judges:
Additional officials who assist the referee in detecting illegal or invalid actions, such as floor judges or hand judges.
Jury:
The 4 officials who watch for hits in a dry fencing bout.
Kendo:
Japanese fencing, with two-handed swords.
Lamé:
A metallic vest/jacket used to detect valid touches in foil and sabre.
Line:
The main direction of an attack (eg., high/low, inside/outside), often equated to the parry that must be made to deflect the attack; also point in line.
Lunge:
An attack made by extending the rear leg and landing on the bent front leg.
Mal-Parry:
Also mal-paré; a parry that fails to prevent the attack from landing.
Manipulators:
The thumb and index finger of the sword hand.
Maraging:
A special steel used for making blades; said to be stronger and break more cleanly than conventional steels.
Marker Points:
An old method of detecting hits using inked points.
Martingale:
A strap that binds the grip to the wrist/forearm.
Match:
The aggregate of bouts between two fencing teams.
Measure:
The distance between the fencers.
Middle:
The middle third of the blade, between foible and forte.
Moulinet:
A whirling cut, executed from the wrist or elbow.
Neuvieme:
An unconventional parry (#9) sometimes described as blade behind the back, pointing down (a variant of octave), other times similar to elevated sixte.
Octave:
Parry #8; blade down and to the outside, wrist supinated.
Opposition:
Holding the opponent's blade in a non-threatening line; a time-hit; any attack or counter-attack with opposition.
Parry:
A block of the attack, made with the forte of one's own blade; also parade.
Pass:
An attack made with a cross; eg. fleche. Also, the act of moving past the opponent.
Passata-Sotto:
A lunge made by dropping one hand to the floor.
Passé:
An attack that passes the target without hitting; also a cross-step (see cross).
Phrase:
A set of related actions and reactions in a fencing conversation.
Pineapple Tip:
A serrated epee point used prior to electric judging.
Piste:
The linear strip on which a fencing bout is fought; approx. 2m wide and 14m long.
Pistol Grip:
A modern, orthopaedic grip, shaped vaguely like a small pistol; varieties are known by names such as Belgian, German, Russian, and Visconti.
Plaqué:
A point attack that lands flat.
Plastron:
A partial jacket worn for extra protection; typically a half-jacket worn under the main jacket on the weapon-arm side of the body.
Point:
A valid touch; the tip of the sword; the mechanical assembly that makes up the point of an electric weapon; an attack made with the point (ie. a thrust).
Point in Line:
Also line; an extended arm and blade that threatens the opponent.
Pommel:
A fastener that attaches the grip to the blade.
Preparation:
A non-threatening action intended to create the opening for an attack; the initial phase of an attack, before right-of-way is established.
Presentation:
Offering one's blade for engagement by the opponent.
Press:
An attempt to push the opponent's blade aside or out of line; depending on the opponent's response, the press is followed by a direct or indirect attack.
Prime:
Parry #1; blade down and to the inside, wrist pronated.
Principle of Defence:
The use of forte against foible when parrying.
Priority:
In sabre, the now-superceded rules that decide which fencer will be awarded the touch in the event that they both attack simultaneously; also used synonymously with right-of-way.
Prise de Fer:
Also taking the blade; an engagement of the blades that forces the opponent's weapon into a new line. See: bind, croise, envelopment, opposition.
Quarte:
Parry #4; blade up and to the inside, wrist supinated.
Quinte:
Parry #5; blade up and to the inside, wrist pronated. In sabre, the blade is held above the head to protect from head cuts.
Rapier:
A long, double-edged thrusting sword popular in the 16th-17th centuries.
Red Card:
Used to indicate repeated minor rule infractions or a major rule infraction by one of the fencers; results in a point being given to the other fencer.
Redoublement:
A new action that follows an attack that missed or was parried; renewal of a failed attack in the opposite line; alternatively see Reprise.
Referee:
Also director, president; the mediator of the fencing bout.
Remise:
Immediate replacement of an attack that missed or was parried, without withdrawing the arm.
Reprise:
Renewal of an attack that missed or was parried, after a return to en-garde; alternatively see Redoublement.
Retreat:
Step back; opposite of advance.
Ricasso:
The portion of the tang between the grip and the blade, present on Italian hilts and most rapiers.
Right-of-Way:
Rules for awarding the point in the event of a double touch in foil or sabre.
Riposte:
An offensive action made immediately after a parry of the opponent's attack.
Sabre:
A fencing weapon with a flat blade and knuckle guard, used with cutting or thrusting actions; a military sword popular in the 18th to 20th centuries; any cutting sword used by cavalry.
Salle:
A fencing hall or club.
Salute:
With the weapon, a customary acknowledgement of one's opponent and referee at the start and end of the bout.
Schlager:
German fraternity duelling sword, used with cuts to the face and no footwork.
Second Intention:
A false action used to draw a response from the opponent, which will open the opportunity for the intended action that follows, typically a counter-riposte.
Seconde:
Parry #2; blade down and to the outside, wrist pronated.
Septime:
Parry #7; blade down and to the inside, wrist supinated.
Simple:
Executed in one movement; an attack or riposte that involves no feints.
Simultaneous:
In foil and sabre, two attacks for which the right-of-way is too close to determine.
Single Stick:
An archaic form of fencing with basket-hilted wooden sticks.
Single-Time:
Also "stesso tempo"; parry-riposte as a single action.
Sixte:
Parry #6; blade up and to the outside, wrist supinated.
Small Sword:
A light duelling sword popular in the 17th-18th centuries, precursor to the foil.
Stop Hit:
A counter-attack that hits; also a counter-attack whose touch is valid by virtue of it's timing.
Stop Cut:
A stop-hit with the edge in sabre, typically to the cuff.
Three Prong:
A type of epee body wire/connector; also an old-fashioned tip that would snag clothing, to make it easier to detect hits in the pre-electric era.
Thrown Point:
A "flick".
Thrust:
An attack made by moving the sword parallel to its length and landing with the point.
Tierce:
Parry #3; blade up and to the outside, wrist pronated.
Time Hit:
Also time-thrust; old name for stop hit with opposition.
Trompement:
Deception of the parry.
Two Prong:
A type of body-wire/connector, used in foil and sabre.
Whip-Over:
In sabre, a touch that results from the foible of the blade whipping over the opponent's guard or blade when parried.
Whites:
Fencing clothing.
Yellow Card:
Also advertissement, warning; used to indicate a minor rule infraction by one of the fencers.
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