The foil itself has a thin, flexible blade with a square cross-section and a small bell guard.
The foil evolved during the late 17th century as a practice weapon for the small sword. The word is derived from the French word refouler, meaning "to turn back".
The foil is a thrusting weapon, so only the point of the foil may be used to score a touch.
Foil's target area is much more restricted than the other weapons. It encompasses the chest, groin, and back area (everything in red). Because of this, a foil fencer has a different 'distance' (meaning the distance between you and your opponent) than the other weapons.
When one fences foil, one must obey a rule called 'right of way'. This means that one can only score when they are attacking. If one's weapon is parried, then the fencer must regain right of way in order to attack and score. The referee keeps track of who has the attack and what actions are occurring.
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