thumb
17 synonyms for thumb, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The short, thick digit of the hand, set apart from the other four fingers.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
The short, thick digit of the hand, set apart from the other four fingers.
“Babies often suck their thumb to help them feel calm and sleepy.”
How to use thumb
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
thumb through
thumbs up
under someone's thumb
Etymology
From Old English þūma, from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to grow" or "to swell" — the same root that gives us "tomb" (a swollen mound).
Full origin of thumb →Frequently asked questions
What does “thumb” mean?
The word “thumb” means the short, thick digit of the hand, set apart from the other four fingers. In plain terms, the short, stout finger opposite the other four, or to flip through pages / hitchhike.
How do you pronounce “thumb”?
“Thumb” is pronounced THUHM (/ˈθʌm/ in IPA).
How do you use “thumb” in a sentence?
Here is “thumb” used in a sentence: “He hurt his thumb while opening a jar.”
What is another word for “thumb”?
Words with a similar meaning to “thumb” include pollex, digit I, first digit and thumby.
What part of speech is “thumb”?
Depending on how it is used, “thumb” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “thumb” come from?
The word “thumb” comes from Old English. From Old English þūma, from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to grow" or "to swell" — the same root that gives us "tomb" (a swollen mound).
Is “thumb” a common word?
“Thumb” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “thumb” have?
“Thumb” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the short, thick digit of the hand, set apart from the other four fingers.
Is the thumb a finger?
Strictly speaking, no: the hand has four fingers plus the thumb, the short, thick digit set apart from the rest. In everyday speech, though, people commonly count the thumb as one of five fingers, and both usages are understood. Anatomists avoid the ambiguity by calling the thumb the pollex.
