Thumb
/θʌm/noun
The short, thick first digit of the human hand, set apart from the other fingers.
Did you know?Thumb is a deeply old Germanic word, and scholars connect it to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to swell,” which fits the thumb’s thick, powerful shape better than any modern nickname.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*teu-
“to swell”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*thumaz
“thumb”
Old English
OE
þūma
“thumb”
Middle English
ME
thombe / thum
“thumb”
Modern English
English
thumb
“the short, thick first digit of the hand”