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finger

/ˈfɪŋgər/

/ˈfɪŋgə/

IPA guide

Other forms: fingers; fingering; fingered

Your fingers are the four digits on each of your hands—or five if you include your thumb. We use our fingers for holding things, scratching, snapping, finger painting, and much more.

Our fingers help us sense the world around us and manipulate or move things. Using your fingers, you can play the piano, speak in sign language, and flash a peace sign by forming a V with your first two fingers. As a verb, this word means to touch something with your fingers: "He nervously fingers his tie as he waits for his job interview." Finger stems from a root word meaning "five."

Definitions of finger
  1. noun
    any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
    “her fingers were long and thin”
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    types:
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    pollex, thumb
    the thick short innermost digit of the forelimb
    forefinger, index, index finger
    the finger next to the thumb
    annualry, ring finger
    the third finger (especially of the left hand)
    middle finger
    the second finger; between the index finger and the ring finger
    little finger, pinkie, pinky
    the finger farthest from the thumb
    type of:
    dactyl, digit
    a finger or toe in human beings or corresponding body part in other vertebrates
    extremity
    that part of a limb that is farthest from the torso
  2. noun
    the length of breadth of a finger used as a linear measure
    synonyms: digit, finger's breadth, fingerbreadth
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    type of:
    linear measure, linear unit
    a unit of measurement of length
  3. noun
    one of the parts of a glove that provides covering for a finger or thumb
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    type of:
    covering
    an artifact that covers something else (usually to protect or shelter or conceal it)
  4. verb
    feel or handle with the fingers
    finger the binding of the book”
    synonyms: thumb
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    type of:
    touch
    make physical contact with, come in contact with
  5. verb
    examine by touch
    “The customer fingered the sweater”
    synonyms: feel
    feel
    grope or feel in search of something
  6. verb
    indicate the fingering for the playing of musical scores for keyboard instruments
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    type of:
    designate, indicate, point, show
    indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively
  7. verb
    search for on the computer
    “I fingered my boss and found that he is not logged on in the afternoons”
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    type of:
    look for, search, seek
    try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
Pronunciation
US

/ˈfɪŋgər/

UK

/ˈfɪŋgə/

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