Why is the sword sport called fencing?

Answer 1

Fencing can have 2 definitions: Those wooden/vinyl posts around your property, or fighting with long weapons (generally swords).

From the Online Etymology dictionary:

fence (v.) "fight with swords," 1598, first recorded in "Merry Wives of Windsor"; from the noun in this sense (1533), see fence (n.). fence (n.) c.1330, shortening of defens (see defense). Spelling alternated between -c- and -s- in M.E. Sense of "enclosure" is first recorded 1512. Fencible (c.1325) means "capable of making a defense."

Answer 2

The verb to fence is derived from the noun fence, with an original meaning of "the act of defending", etymologically derived from Old French defens "defence", ultimately from the Latin. The first attestation of Middle English fens"defence" dates to the 14th century

Answer 3

"Fencing" is derived from Latin "defensa", meaning "protection". It moved into English from Old French "defens", and then through usage became shortened to "fens" in the 14th century. by the 16th century "schools of defense" were common throughout Europe, and "fencing" was well established as a particular type of sword fighting.

Answer 4

'Fencing' comes from the word 'fence', which comes from the word 'defendo', which in Latin, means 'to protect'.