Glossary of Italian Fencing Terms

The table below includes words that are either unique to fencing manuscripts (Fiore or Vadi’s), or have a specific technical meaning in a fencing context. There are still some areas of debate amongst scholars of these arts; where this is the case, it is noted in the comments. The translations are not necessarily applicable to modern Italian or other historical sources. Students should also note that the terms are often spelled several different ways in the original sources.

Italian grammar notes:

• Nouns ending in -e (singular) → -i (plural): fendente / fendenti
• Nouns ending in -o (singular) → -i (plural): colpo / colpi
• Nouns ending in -a (singular) → -e (plural): ligadura / ligadure

Terms are given in the form most commonly used in Fiore or Vadi (e.g. Longa, zogho).

You can download this glossary into a printable PDF here: Glossary of Italian Fencing Terms (PDF)

See also our Glossary of Academic Terms

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Glossary

Italian	English	Comments
Abrazare	To wrestle
Accrescere	To step forwards without passing
Bicorno	Two-horned	A guard
Breve / posta breve	Short; short guard	Refers to a specific guard position
Cinghiare / cinghiaro	Wild boar	Name of a specific guard
Colpo / colpi	A blow or strike
Corona	Crown	Name of a specific guard
Coverta	Cover; parry
Destro / destra	On the right
Discrescere	To step back without passing
Donna	Woman	Name of a specific guard
Dritto / diritto / derito	Right; forehand; true	Filo or taglio dritto is the true edge
Elzo	Hilt; crossguard
Falcon	Falcon	Name of a specific guard
Falso	False edge; back edge
Fendente	Descending blow	Usually qualified by mandritto/dritto or roverso
Finestra	Window	Name of a specific guard
Fora / for di strada	Out of the way	Usually used with footwork (e.g. passo fora di strada)
Frontale	Frontal	A guard
Gioco / giocho stretto	Close or constrained play
Gioco largo	Wide play
Gioco / giocho	Play	A single sequence or tactical state
Incrosare / incroce	Crossing; parry
Largo	Wide	Tactical state where one is free to strike
Lunga / Longa	Long	Part of guard name (e.g. posta lunga con la spada curta)
Mandritto	Forehand	See dritto
Mantener	Handle of the sword
Meza spada / mezza spada	Half sword	Crossing near the middle of the blades
Mezana porta di ferro	Middle iron door	A guard
Mezano / mezani	Middle blows	Horizontal blows
Passare	To pass (step)
Passo	A pass	Also the length or stance distance
Porta di ferro	Iron door	May be mezana or piana terena
Posta / poste	Position or guard	Used more commonly than guardia
Quatro dita	Four fingers	Unit of measurement
Rebattere	To beat aside; parry
Remedio	Remedy	Defence against an attack
Rendopiare / reddopiare	Redouble	Not the Bolognese ridoppio
Riverso / roverso	Backhand
Rompere	To break	As in breaking the thrust
Rota	Turn; rising blow	Used by Vadi only; see chapter XV
Sagitaria	Archer	Guard positions (Fiore vs Vadi differ)
Scambiare	To exchange	As in exchanging the thrust
Sinestro	On the left
Somesso	Width of a fist	Unit of measurement
Sottano	Rising blow
Stancho	Left (side or foot)	Modern Italian: “tired”
Strada	Way	The direct line between combatants
Stramazone	Whirling blow	From the wrist
Stretto / stretta / strette	Close; constrained	Tactical state
Taglio / tagli	Cut; cutting edge
Traverso / ala traversa	Across; diagonal	Used with footwork
Tondo	Round	Horizontal blow
Tornare	To return	To pass back
Vera croce	True cross	Guard (sword in armour)
Volta	Turn	Stable, half, and whole turns
Vista / visteggiare	Feint	Meaning clear from context
Volante / volanti	Flying	Horizontal blow; Vadi only
Zenghiaro	Wild boar	A guard
Zogho largo	Wide play	See gioco largo
Zogho stretto	Close play	See gioco stretto