# finger

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈfɪŋɡə/ · frequency rank #3,104

## Definitions
1. A slender jointed extremity of the human hand, (often) exclusive of the thumb.
2. Similar or similar-looking extremities in other animals, particularly
3. Similar or similar-looking extremities in other animals
4. Similar or similar-looking extremities in other animals
5. Similar or similar-looking extremities in other animals
6. Something similar in shape to the human finger, particularly
7. Something similar in shape to the human finger
8. Something similar in shape to the human finger
9. Something similar in shape to the human finger
10. Something similarly extending, (especially) from a larger body, particularly
11. Something similarly extending, (especially) from a larger body
12. Something similarly extending, (especially) from a larger body
13. Something similarly extending, (especially) from a larger body
14. Something similarly extending, (especially) from a larger body
15. Something similarly extending, (especially) from a larger body
16. Something similarly extending, (especially) from a larger body
17. Something similarly extending, (especially) from a larger body
18. Something similar in function or agency to the human finger, (usually) with regard to touching, grasping, or pointing.
19. Something similar in function or agency to the human finger, (usually) with regard to touching, grasping, or pointing.
20. Something similar in function or agency to the human finger, (usually) with regard to touching, grasping, or pointing.
21. Something similar in function or agency to the human finger, (usually) with regard to touching, grasping, or pointing.
22. Something similar in function or agency to the human finger, (usually) with regard to touching, grasping, or pointing.
23. Something similar in function or agency to the human finger, (usually) with regard to touching, grasping, or pointing.
24. Various units of measure based or notionally based on the adult human finger, particularly
25. Various units of measure based or notionally based on the adult human finger, particularly
26. Various units of measure based or notionally based on the adult human finger, particularly
27. Various units of measure based or notionally based on the adult human finger, particularly
28. A part of a glove intended to cover a finger.
29. Skill in the use of the fingers, as in playing upon a musical instrument.
30. Someone skilled in the use of their fingers, (especially) a pickpocket.
31. A person.
32. An obscene or insulting gesture made by raising one's middle finger towards someone with the palm of one's hand facing inwards.
33. Any of the individual receivers used in a rake receiver to decode signal components.
34. An act of fingering (inserting a finger into someone's vagina or rectum for sexual pleasure).

## Etymology
PIE word
 *pénkʷe
From Middle English fynger, finger, from Old English finger (“finger”), from Proto-West Germanic *fingr, from Proto-Germanic *fingraz (“finger”), from Proto-Indo-European *penkʷrós, from *pénkʷe (“five”). Compare West Frisian finger, Low German/German Finger, Dutch vinger, Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish finger; also Old Armenian հինգեր-որդ (hinger-ord, “fifth”). More at five.

## Easily confused with
- **fixer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/finger-vs-fixer)
- **fiver** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/finger-vs-fiver)
- **fisher** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/finger-vs-fisher)
- **fringe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/finger-vs-fringe)
- **Finley** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/finger-vs-finley)
- **fitter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/finger-vs-fitter)
- **firmer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/finger-vs-firmer)
- **Finney** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/finger-vs-finney)
- **fingers** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/finger-vs-fingers)
- **fringed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/finger-vs-fringed)
- **fingered** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/finger-vs-fingered)
- **fine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fine-vs-finger)
- **fiber** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fiber-vs-finger)
- **fines** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fines-vs-finger)
- **fined** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fined-vs-finger)
- **finer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/finer-vs-finger)
- **filter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/filter-vs-finger)
- **filler** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/filler-vs-finger)
- **fender** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fender-vs-finger)
- **finder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/finder-vs-finger)

## Common misspellings (9)
`ffinger`, `figner`, `finegr`, `fingerr`, `fingger`, `fingre`, `finnger`, `fniger`, `ifnger`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/finger