English Cannot Agree Whether the Thumb Is a Finger
A finger is a digit of the hand. Whether there are four or five per hand depends entirely on who you ask.
A finger is one of the digits of the hand. Whether the thumb counts is genuinely unsettled: anatomists usually treat it as a finger, everyday English usually does not, and glove makers split the difference. The safe technical word is *digit*, which covers all five without argument.
- A digit of the hand. *Point a finger.*
- A finger-shaped piece. *Fish fingers.*
- A measure of drink. *Two fingers of whisky.*
- To identify someone. *He fingered the culprit.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | finger | An index finger. |
| Plural | fingers | All ten fingers. |
| Verb | finger | Finger the fabric. |
| Adjective | fingered | Long-fingered. |
| Related | digit | A missing digit. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Keep your fingers crossed.For luck.
- Two fingers of whisky.A rough measure by glass height.
- Green fingers, or in America a green thumb.Skill at gardening.
Names of the fingers
- Thumb — the opposable digit
- Index — from pointing, Latin for one who indicates
- Middle — the longest
- Ring — from the tradition of wearing a wedding ring
- Little finger — also called the pinkie, from Dutch *pink*
From Old English *finger*, of Germanic origin, possibly related to a root meaning five.
Is the thumb a finger?
Anatomically it is usually counted as one. In everyday English it usually is not. Digit avoids the question entirely.
Why is it called the ring finger?
From the tradition of wearing a wedding ring there, based on an ancient and mistaken belief in a vein running straight to the heart.