English vocabulary · C1
Foible
/ˈfɔɪ.bəl/ · n.
It means a small weakness in someone's character. It is not serious — it is just a little quirk that makes a person who they are.
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Example sentences
- His foible is checking his phone every two minutes.
- She laughed at her own foible.
Word origin and roots
from Old French
- faible — weak (from Old French)
Synonyms and nuances
- QUIRK — a strange little habit (Odd but harmless habit)
- WEAKNESS — a personal weak point (A general soft spot)
- FLAW — an imperfection (More serious than foible)
Similar words
- quirk
- weakness
- flaw
Lesson notes
Foible. It means a small weakness in someone's character. It is not serious — it is just a little quirk that makes a person who they are.
Similar words are quirk, weakness, and flaw. Use foible when the weakness is small and harmless.
His foible is checking his phone every two minutes. She laughed at her own foible.
From Old French. Faible- means weak. A small weak spot in who you are — that is a foible.