Escrime
/ˈɛs.krɪm/noun
Fencing, especially as a formal art or discipline.
Did you know?Escrime is historically related to English “skirmish,” both descending through medieval French from a Germanic word associated with defending or fighting.
Etymological Timeline
Early Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*skirmjaną
“To defend, ward off, or engage in combat; the precise reconstruction is debated.”
Medieval Period
Old High German
skirm
“Defense or protection.”
11th–13th Century
Old French
escrimir / eskermir
“To fence, fight, or practice swordplay.”
13th–14th Century
Old French
escrime
“Fencing or the art of fighting with weapons.”
15th Century
English
escrime
“Fencing; a learned or literary borrowing from French.”
Modern English
English
escrime
“A rare or historical term for fencing, while French retains it as the ordinary word for the sport.”