Fencer

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈfɛnsə/

Definitions

1. A person who practices the sport involving swords, employing swift movements and tactics in competitive bouts with equipment like foils or sabers
2. An individual trained in the combat sport that utilizes bladed weapons to compete in matches, focusing on agility and strategy
3. A practitioner of a sport that involves swordplay, who engages in competitive duels while using specialized equipment such as foils, epees, or sabers

Etymology: The "fence" half came into English from Old French "defens" and related forms, and "fence" once covered defence in general, including the protective barrier sense that now dominates. The sport sense of "fence" developed later, so "fencer" is a relatively recent formation built on that sporting use. The suffix has a longer pedigree. The "-er" ending traces back through Old English "-ere" and Middle English "-ere" and "-er", to Latin "-arius", which denoted a person connected with a trade or occupation. That Latin suffix passed through Old French "-ier", and the Proto-Germanic and Proto-Italic ancestors of the suffix are deep in the tree, but in practice English simply attached its native agent ending to a borrowed noun.

Synonyms: swordsman, duelist, fighter, athlete, competitor