Foible

From SwordWiki

Foible is the French word for "weak". It is the half of the blade closest to the point. It is known as the weak half because it is the half of the blade that has the least leverage, as opposed to the forte, or strong, of the blade, and therefore it is the half of the blade that is easiest to block. The foible is not used to parry for this reason, save for a variety of slaps or beats. Despite the name, it is also the area that makes the strongest cuts with a cutting sword, as it is the portion that moves with the greatest velocity. The term is most often found in sport fencing, which uses French terminology, though the term is generally adopted by many other styles of swordsmanship as well, since it is already a commonly accepted term.

See also weak.