foible
UK[ˈfɔɪb(ə)l]US[ˈfɔɪb(ə)l]
n
A minor weakness or eccentricity in a person's character.
Etymology
The word 'foible' entered English in the 17th century from the French adjective 'foible', meaning 'weak'. The French term itself derived from the obsolete form of 'faible' (weak), which traces back to the Latin verb 'flebilis', meaning 'lamentable' or 'to be wept over', from 'flere' (to weep). In fencing, it was first used to denote the weaker part of a sword blade, opposite the strong 'forte'. This concrete sense was then figuratively extended to describe the weaker, more vulnerable aspects of a person's character, evolving into its modern meaning of a minor, often endearing, flaw.
Analysis
This word is a simplex loanword from French. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into productive morphemes in modern English based on its current spelling.
Examples
His tendency to talk to his plants is one of his more endearing foibles.
We all have our little foibles, so it's best to be tolerant.
For all his brilliance, the famous author was not without his personal foibles.