fencer

American  

[fen-ser] / ˈfɛn sər /

noun

1. a person who practices the art of fencing with a sword, foil, etc.

2. a person who fences.

3. a horse trained to jump barriers, as for show or sport.

4. Australian. a person who builds or repairs fences.

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fencer British  

/ ˈfɛnsə /

noun

1. a person who fights with a sword, esp one who practises the art of fencing

2. a person who erects and repairs fences

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Etymology

Origin of fencer

First recorded in 1565–75; fence + -er ¹

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Explanation

A fencer is someone who participates in the sport of fencing, or sword fighting. Fencers are among the athletes who compete in the Olympics every four years. If you become a fencer, you'll learn all the rules and strategy behind dueling with rapiers or swords. Fencers wear special gear, including protective jackets, short pants, gloves, and masks. The word fencer comes from the verb fence, "defend oneself," from the noun fence, "fortification," a shortened form of defense.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fencer

With Madonna to his right and Rihanna on his left, the London-born American fencer was the unexpected filling in a pop royalty sandwich.

From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026

When they were younger, she and her future husband, American fencer Gerek Meinhardt, competed in the 2010 world championships at the Grand Palais.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2024

You also need to have “right of way” which, if you’re new to fencing, is a concept best left to the referee, who decides which fencer has attacking priority at any given time.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2024

The fencer competed at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and at Tokyo in 2021.

From Seattle Times ● May 9, 2024

As a saber fencer, Peter excelled on his high school’s fencing team and was recruited with a fencing scholarship to attend New York University, one of the best collegiate fencing schools in the country.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

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