noun

der Finger, –

finger

Ein Teil der Hand, der lang und beweglich ist. Man hat mehrere davon, und man benutzt sie zum Greifen, Fühlen und Zeigen.

Definition & meaning

The word Finger primarily refers to the five articulated digits at the end of the human hand. It includes the thumb (Daumen ), index finger (Zeigefinger ), middle finger (Mittelfinger ), ring finger (Ringfinger ), and pinky or little finger (kleiner Finger ).

In a broader or figurative sense, the word is used in various German idioms:

Jemandem auf die Finger schauen: To watch someone very closely or monitor their actions.
Den Finger in die Wunde legen: To point out a sensitive issue or a specific problem directly.
Sich die Finger verbrennen: To suffer unpleasant consequences from getting involved in something risky.
Etwas in die Finger bekommen: To get hold of something or to manage to acquire something.

Grammar & Word origin

The word is a masculine noun. The singular is der Finger and the plural remains die Finger.

From an etymological perspective, the word stems from the Old High German fingar and Middle High German vinger. It is common to all Germanic languages (English: finger, Dutch: vinger). It is widely believed to be related to the number five (fünf ), suggesting that its original meaning was "one of five."

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

Glied : Generally refers to a limb or a segment of the body, though less specific than finger.
Griffel : A colloquial and somewhat humorous term used to refer to fingers or hands.

Antonyms While there is no direct semantic opposite to a body part, the following terms are often used as biological counterparts: