foible
C1/C2Formal, literary
Definition
Meaning
A minor weakness or idiosyncrasy in a person's character.
In fencing, the weaker part of a sword blade (between the middle and the point). It can also refer to a minor flaw in an object or system.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word implies a weakness that is endearing, harmless, or amusing rather than serious or dangerous. It often carries a tone of affectionate tolerance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is used in both varieties with the same core sense.
Connotations
Slightly more common in British English in literary or refined contexts, but the difference is marginal.
Frequency
Low frequency in both varieties; more likely found in writing than casual speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have a foible for [noun/gerund]to be aware of someone's foibleto tolerate a foibleVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To have a foible for something (e.g., a particular food or habit).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear in HR or management discussions about personality traits: 'We accommodate reasonable foibles in our team.'
Academic
Used in literary criticism, psychology, or sociology when discussing character traits: 'The novel explores the protagonist's moral foibles.'
Everyday
Uncommon in casual conversation. Might be used humorously or affectionately: 'Oh, that's just one of his little foibles.'
Technical
Primary technical use is in fencing for the part of the blade.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Everyone has their own little foibles.
- We learned to live with each other's foibles in the shared flat.
- His foible for collecting vintage bottle caps is quite harmless.
- The biography didn't shy away from detailing the statesman's personal foibles and eccentricities.
- Critics argued that the proposed policy was designed to exploit a known foible in human decision-making.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'FOIble' as a 'FOIble' (sounds like 'Foil' in fencing) - a minor weakness you can poke fun at, like poking with a foil's weak point.
Conceptual Metaphor
A CHARACTER FLAW IS A CRACK (minor, not structural).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'слабость' in its primary meaning of physical or moral 'weakness'. 'Foible' is lighter. Closer to 'причуда', 'слабинка'.
Common Mistakes
- Pronouncing it as /ˈfɔɪ.bəl/ (correct) not /ˈfɔɪ.bl̩/ or /fwɑːbəl/.
- Using it for a serious character defect (too strong).
- Misspelling as 'foibel' or 'foyble'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'foible' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, a foible is a minor, often harmless or amusing weakness or eccentricity, not a serious character flaw.
It comes from the obsolete French adjective 'foible', meaning 'weak', which itself derives from the Latin 'flebilis' meaning 'lamentable'. It entered English in the 1600s, first as a fencing term.
Primarily for people, but it can be extended metaphorically to systems or objects ('a foible in the software code'). Its literal, technical use is for a sword blade.
They are very close synonyms. A 'foible' often implies a slight moral or character weakness, while a 'quirk' is more neutral, describing any odd behavioural trait.