finger

See also: Finger

English[edit]

A human hand, showing its four fingers and thumb.

An X-ray of human fingers.

The Egyptian hieroglyph for "finger" (ḏbꜥ, D50).

Fish fingers.

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English finger, from Old English finger (“finger”), from Proto-Germanic *fingraz (“finger”) (compare West Frisian finger, Low German/German Finger, Dutch vinger, Danish finger), from Proto-Indo-European *pénkʷrós, *penkʷ-ros (“fifth”) (compare Old Irish cóicer (“set of five people”), Old Armenian հինգեր-որդ (hinger-ord, “fifth”)), from *pénkʷe (“five”). More at five.

Pronunciation[edit]

(US) enPR: fĭngʹ-gər, IPA^(key): /ˈfɪŋɡɚ/
(UK) IPA^(key): /ˈfɪŋɡə/
(Scots) IPA^(key): /ˈfɪŋəɹ/
Audio (US)
(file)
Audio
(file)
Rhymes: -ɪŋɡə(ɹ)
Hyphenation: fin‧ger

Noun[edit]

finger (plural fingers)

(anatomy) A slender jointed extremity of the human hand, (often) exclusive of the thumb.
Humans have two hands and ten fingers. Each hand has one thumb and four fingers.
- 1916, The Finger Talk of Chicago's Wheat-Pit, Popular Science Monthly, Vol. 89, p. 81:
  Each finger extended represents one-eighth of a cent. Thus when all four fingers and the thumb are extended, all being spread out from one another, it means five-eighths.
- 2014 March 29, “Don’t cramp my style”, in The Economist, volume 410, number 8880:
  In 1993 [Victor Candia] noticed that the fingers of his left hand were starting to curl up as he played [on his guitar]. It felt to him as if a magnet in his palm were preventing him from opening them. A week later, he could not play at all.
(zoology) Similar or similar-looking extremities in other animals, particularly:
- 1915, Eleanor Stackhouse Atkinson, The How and Why Library, Life, Section VIII,
  The starfish eats with five fingers.
1. The lower, smaller segment of an arthropod claw.
2. One of the supporting structures of wings in birds, bats, etc. evolved from earlier toes or fingers.
3. One of the slender bony structures before the pectoral fins of gurnards and sea robins (Triglidae).
Something similar in shape to the human finger, particularly:
- 1814, William Wordsworth, The Excursion, p. 250:
  ...spires whose ‘silent finger points to Heaven’...
1. (cooking) Finger-shaped pieces of food.
  chocolate fingers; fish fingers; cheese fingers
  - 2014, Laurie David, The Family Cooks
    By now, we hope you have said “no” to processed nuggets and fingers. Instead, how about taking some real chicken, tossing it with real eggs, a little tangy mustard, and a crunchy quinoa coating?
2. (chemistry) A tube extending from a sealed system, or sometimes into one in the case of a cold finger.
  - 1996, Susan Trumbore, Mass Spectrometry of Soils, p. 318:
    An oven is placed over the finger with Co catalyst (oven temperature will depend on whether a quartz or Pyrex finger is used, see Ref. 24), and a cold finger (usually a copper rod immersed in dry ice–isopropanol slurry) is placed on the other tube.
3. (Britain regional, botany, usually in plural, obsolete) Synonym of foxglove (D. purpurea).
Something similarly extending, (especially) from a larger body, particularly:
a finger of land; a finger of smoke
1. (botany) Various protruding plant structures, as a banana from its hand.
2. (anatomy, obsolete) A lobe of the liver.
3. (historical) The teeth parallel to the blade of a scythe, fitted to a wooden frame called a crade.
4. The projections of a reaper or mower which similarly separate the stalks for cutting.
5. (nautical) Clipping of finger pier: a shorter, narrower pier projecting from a larger dock.
6. (aviation) Synonym of jet bridge: the narrow elevated walkway connecting a plane to an airport.
Something similar in function or agency to the human finger, (usually) with regard to touching, grasping, or pointing.
- 1611, Bible (KJV), Exodus 8:19:
  The Magicians said vnto Pharaoh; This is the finger of God.
1. (obsolete) Synonym of hand, the part of a clock pointing to the hour, minute, or second.
2. (US, obsolete slang) A policeman or prison guard.
3. (US, rare slang) An informer to the police, (especially) one who identifies a criminal during a lineup.
4. (US, rare slang) A criminal who scouts for prospective victims and targets or who performs reconnaissance before a crime.
5. (figuratively) That which points; an indicator, as of guilt, blame, or suspicion.
  The finger of suspicion pointed clearly at the hotel manager.
(units of measure) Various units of measure based or notionally based on the adult human finger, particularly
1. (historical) Synonym of digit: former units of measure notionally based on its width but variously standardized, (especially) the English digit of ¹⁄₁₆ foot (about 1.9 cm).
  - (Can we date this quote by Bishop John Wilkins and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
    a piece of steel three fingers thick
2. (historical) A unit of length notionally based on the length of an adult human's middle finger, standardized as 4½ inches (11.43 cm).
3. (historical) Synonym of digit: ¹⁄₁₂ the observed diameter of the sun or moon, (especially) with regard to eclipses.
4. (originally US) An informal measure of alcohol based on its height in a given glass compared to the width of the pourer's fingers while holding it.
  Gimme three fingers of bourbon.
(fashion) A part of a glove intended to cover a finger.
(informal, obsolete) Skill in the use of the fingers, as in playing upon a musical instrument.
- (Can we date this quote by Thomas Busby (composer) and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
  She has a good finger.
(informal, rare) Someone skilled in the use of their fingers, (especially) a pickpocket.
(Britain slang) A person.
(especially in the phrase 'give someone the finger') An obscene or insulting gesture made by raising one's middle finger towards someone with the palm of one's hand facing inwards.

Synonyms[edit]

(anatomy): See Thesaurus:finger
(zoology): toe (when on four legs); claw, talon (usually sharp)
(finger-shaped objects): tendril (in plants)
(airport walkway): See jet bridge
(finger width): See digit
(slang for police informer): See Thesaurus:informant
(skill with the fingers): fingering technique; touch
(British slang for person): bloke, lad, boy, guv

Hyponyms[edit]

(anatomy): index finger, forefinger; middle finger; ring finger; little finger, pinkie; thumb, hallux

Derived terms[edit]

Terms derived from the noun finger

Descendants[edit]

Sranan Tongo: finga

Translations[edit]

See finger/translations § Noun.

Verb[edit]

finger (third-person singular simple present fingers, present participle fingering, simple past and past participle fingered)

(transitive) To identify or point out. Also put the finger on. To report to or identify for the authorities, rat on, rat out, squeal on, tattle on, turn in.
- 2018 January, “Wild Things”, in North and South:
  I'm rose-tinting my teenage years, for sure, but Twenge isn't the only generational-change researcher to finger the ubiquitous smartphone for contributing to higher rates of teen depression and anxiety.
(transitive) To poke, probe, feel, or fondle with a finger or fingers.
- c. 1589–1593, Shakespeare, William, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act 1, Scene 2:
  Let the papers lie; / You would be fingering them to anger me.
- 1898, H. G. Wells, The War of the Worlds:
  "They have done a foolish thing," said I, fingering my wineglass.
- 1956, Anthony Burgess, Time for a Tiger (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 121:
  Alladad Khan, left alone, dandled unhandily his child in unfatherly arms. He wanted to finger his moustache, but could not.
- 2009, Win Blevins, Dreams Beneath Your Feet, page 135:
  Feeling tender around the face, she fingered herself gingerly. Yes, it was swollen, very sore around the cheekbones, with dried blood on the outsides of her eye sockets, below her nostrils, and below one ear.
(transitive) To use the fingers to penetrate and sexually stimulate one's own or another person's vagina or anus; to fingerbang
- 2007, Madeline Bastinado, A Talent for Surrender, page 201:
  She fingered him, spreading the gel and sliding the tip of her finger inside him.
- 2008, Thomas Wainwright (editor), Erotic Tales, page 56:
  She smiled, a look of amazement on her face, as if thinking that maybe this was the cock that she had been fantasizing about just now, as she fingered herself to a massive, body-engulfing orgasm.
(transitive, music) To use specified finger positions in producing notes on a musical instrument.
(transitive, music) To provide instructions in written music as to which fingers are to be used to produce particular notes or passages.
(transitive, computing) To query (a user's status) using the Finger protocol.
- 1996, "Yves Bellefeuille", List of useful freeware, comp.archives.msdos.d, Usenet:
  PGP mail welcome (finger me for my key).
(obsolete) To steal; to purloin.
- c. 1599–1602, Shakespeare, William, Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 2:
  in the dark / Groped I to find out them, had my desire, / Fingered their packet, and in fine withdrew / To mine own room again,
(transitive, obsolete) To execute, as any delicate work.

Synonyms[edit]

(to identify or point out): inform, grass up, snitch; See also Thesaurus:rat out
(sexual): fingerbang, fingerfuck

Translations[edit]

to identify or point out

Bulgarian: посочвам (bg) (posočvam)
Chinese:
Gan: 約 (yok)
Danish: udpege, pege på
Dutch: aanwijzen (nl)
Finnish: osoittaa (fi), näyttää (fi)
French: pointer (fr)
Greek: υποδεικνύω (el) (ypodeiknýo)

Macedonian: покажува (pokažuva), посочува (posočuva), укажува (ukažuva)
Portuguese: apontar (pt)
Russian: указа́ть (ru) (ukazátʹ), показа́ть (ru) (pokazátʹ)
Spanish: apuntar (es), señalar (es)
Swedish: peka ut, utpeka
Turkish: işaret etmek (tr)
Vietnamese: chỉ ra, chỉ đến
Zazaki: işaret kerden

to poke

Bulgarian: пипам (bg) (pipam)
Chinese:
Gan: 拈 (nien)
Danish: fingerere, famle ved
Dutch: porren (nl)
Finnish: sormeilla (fi), näpelöidä, hivellä (fi)
French: tripoter (fr)
Greek: ψηλαφίζω (el) (psilafízo), πασπατεύω (el) (paspatévo)

Portuguese: cutucar (pt)
Russian: ткнуть (ru) (tknutʹ)
Spanish: hurgar (es)
Swedish: fingra (sv), peta (sv)
Turkish: parmak atmak (tr)
Vietnamese: chọc (vi), đâm (vi)
Zazaki: gışt kuwen

to penetrate and sexually stimulate with one's finger

Czech: prstit (cs)
Danish: give finger
Dutch: vingeren (nl)
Esperanto: fingrumi (eo)
Finnish: sormettaa (fi)
French: doigter (fr)
Greek: βάζω δάχτυλο (vázo dáchtylo)

Icelandic: putta
Norwegian:
Bokmål: fingre
Spanish: dedear
Swedish: pulla (sv)
Zazaki: gışt eşten

to use specified finger positions to produce notes on a musical instrument

Esperanto: fingri
Finnish: sormittaa (fi)

Maori: pokipoki
Zazaki: ploğnayen

to provide instructions about the use of fingers in music

Danish: angive fingersætning i
Esperanto: fingri
Finnish: sormittaa (fi)

French: doigter (fr)
Vietnamese: đánh, bấm (a); ghi cách bấm (b)

References[edit]

"finger, n., in the Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Anagrams[edit]

fringe

Danish[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Old Norse fingr, from Proto-Germanic *fingraz, from Proto-Indo-European *pénkʷrós.

Pronunciation[edit]

IPA^(key): /fenɡər/, [ˈfeŋˀɐ]

Noun[edit]

finger c (singular definite fingeren, plural indefinite fingre)

finger

Inflection[edit]

Declension of finger

common gender	Singular		Plural
common gender	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	finger	fingeren	fingre	fingrene
genitive	fingers	fingerens	fingres	fingrenes

Etymology 2[edit]

See fingere (“to simulate”).

Pronunciation[edit]

IPA^(key): /fenɡɡeːr/, [ˈfeŋɡ̊eːˀɐ̯], [ˈfeŋɡ̊eɐ̯ˀ]

Verb[edit]

finger or fingér

imperative of fingere

Middle English[edit]

Noun[edit]

finger

Alternative form of fynger