In fencing, a parrying position or movement that opposes or counters a tierce (a thrust aimed at the upper outside area of the body).
From counter- + tierce. Tierce comes from French tiers meaning 'third,' referring to the third of eight parrying positions in classical fencing. Counter- indicates opposition to this position.
Medieval fencing masters numbered eight basic positions and created defensive counters for each one—countertierce is just one piece of a geometric system of movement that turned sword-fighting into near-mathematical precision.
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