finger

The word “finger” means one of the five slender parts extending from the hand, used for touching, holding, and grasping. In plain terms, mainly the body part on the hand; informally, to identify someone as guilty.

“Finger” is pronounced FIHNG-guh (/ˈfɪŋɡɚ/ in IPA).

Here is “finger” used in a sentence: “She pointed at the map with her finger.”

Depending on how it is used, “finger” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “finger” comes from Old English. From Old English finger, related to German Finger and Dutch vinger, ultimately traced back to the Indo-European word for "five" — fingers being the five digits of the hand.

“Finger” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Finger” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: one of the five slender parts extending from the hand, used for touching, holding, and grasping.

From the outside of the hand inward they are the thumb, the index finger (or forefinger), the middle finger, the ring finger, and the little finger, often called the pinky. The index, middle, ring, and little fingers are the four 'true' fingers, while the thumb sits apart and moves differently from the rest.

It depends on how you count. In everyday speech people often say the hand has five fingers, including the thumb. Anatomically the thumb is usually treated separately: it has two bones instead of three and opposes the other digits, which is what lets the hand grip. So the hand has four fingers and one thumb.

Digit is the technical term for any of the parts at the end of a hand or foot, covering both fingers and toes and including the thumb. Finger is the everyday word for the digits of the hand, and often excludes the thumb. So every finger is a digit, but not every digit is a finger.

Fingers let the hand touch, hold, and grasp objects with precision. Their sensitive tips detect texture, temperature, and pressure, while the joints bend to grip. Together with the opposable thumb, they allow fine tasks such as writing, typing, buttoning clothes, and using tools — one of the abilities that sets human hands apart.