All Topics  
Index finger

 
Index Finger

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Index finger
 
 
  Topics Index finger Topic Home

The index finger, also referred to as, pointer finger, forefinger, trigger finger, digitus secundus, or digitus II, is the second finger
Finger

A finger is a type of digit , an organ of manipulation and sensation found in the hands of humans and other primates.Normally humans have five digits, termed phalanges, on each hand ....
 of a human hand
Hand

The hands are the two intricate, prehensile, multi-fingered body parts normally located at the end of each arm of a human or other primate. They are the chief organs for physically manipulating the environment, using anywhere from the roughest motor skills to the finest , and since the fingertips contain some of the densest areas of nerve e...
.

It is located between the first and third digits - that is, between the thumb
Thumb

The thumb is the Human_anatomical_terms#Anatomical_directions-most finger of the hand. The English adjective for thumb is pollical....
 and the middle finger
Middle finger

The middle finger is the third digit of the human hand, located between the index finger and the ring finger. It is also called the third finger, digitus medius, digitus tertius, or digitus III in anatomy....
. It is usually the most dextrous and sensitive finger
Finger

A finger is a type of digit , an organ of manipulation and sensation found in the hands of humans and other primates.Normally humans have five digits, termed phalanges, on each hand ....
 of the hand, though not the longest. A lone index finger often is used to represent the number
Number

A number is a mathematical object used in counting and measurement. A notational symbol which represents a number is called a Numeral system, but in common usage the word number is used for both the abstract object and the symbol, as well as for the numeral for the number....
 1
1 (number)

1 is a number, number names, and the name of the glyph representing that number.It represents a single entity, the unit of counting or measurement....
, or when held up or moved side to side (finger-wagging), it can be an admonitory gesture.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Index finger'
Start a new discussion about 'Index finger'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


The index finger, also referred to as, pointer finger, forefinger, trigger finger, digitus secundus, or digitus II, is the second finger
Finger

A finger is a type of digit , an organ of manipulation and sensation found in the hands of humans and other primates.Normally humans have five digits, termed phalanges, on each hand ....
 of a human hand
Hand

The hands are the two intricate, prehensile, multi-fingered body parts normally located at the end of each arm of a human or other primate. They are the chief organs for physically manipulating the environment, using anywhere from the roughest motor skills to the finest , and since the fingertips contain some of the densest areas of nerve e...
.

It is located between the first and third digits - that is, between the thumb
Thumb

The thumb is the Human_anatomical_terms#Anatomical_directions-most finger of the hand. The English adjective for thumb is pollical....
 and the middle finger
Middle finger

The middle finger is the third digit of the human hand, located between the index finger and the ring finger. It is also called the third finger, digitus medius, digitus tertius, or digitus III in anatomy....
. It is usually the most dextrous and sensitive finger
Finger

A finger is a type of digit , an organ of manipulation and sensation found in the hands of humans and other primates.Normally humans have five digits, termed phalanges, on each hand ....
 of the hand, though not the longest. A lone index finger often is used to represent the number
Number

A number is a mathematical object used in counting and measurement. A notational symbol which represents a number is called a Numeral system, but in common usage the word number is used for both the abstract object and the symbol, as well as for the numeral for the number....
 1
1 (number)

1 is a number, number names, and the name of the glyph representing that number.It represents a single entity, the unit of counting or measurement....
, or when held up or moved side to side (finger-wagging), it can be an admonitory gesture. With the hand held palm out and the thumb and middle fingers touching, it represents the letter d in the American Sign Language alphabet
American Sign Language alphabet

The American Manual Alphabet is a manual alphabet that augments the vocabulary of American Sign Language when spelling individual letters of a word is the preferred or only option, such as with proper names or the titles of works....
. In sports, it can also represent victory, as some championship
Championship

Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship....
-winning teams raise their index finger (often saying "We're number one!") while posing for a championship team photo.

Men are 2.5 times more likely than women to have an index finger which is shorter than their ring finger, and such ratios correlate with an increased likelihood of osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis , is a group of diseases and mechanical abnormalities entailing degradation of joints, including articular cartilage and the subchondral bone next to it....
, especially for women.

Gestures

As mentioned above, the forefinger can be used for pointing. However, this gesture
Gesture

A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication made with a part of the body, used instead of or in combination with verbal communication. The language of gesture allows individuals to express a variety of feelings and thoughts, from contempt and hostility to approval and affection....
 is considered rude in some countries (Ukraine
Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south....
, Russia
Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
 and Chile
Chile

Chile, officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow coastal strip wedged between the Andes mountains and the Pacific Ocean....
 for instance), in the former two pointing with the whole hand is considered polite.

During the Bosnian war
Bosnian War

The War in Bosnia and Herzegovina, commonly known as the Bosnian War, was an international armed conflict that took place between March 1992 and November 1995....
, Serbo-Bosnian
Serbia

Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country in Central Europe and Balkans Europe, covering the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and the central part of the Balkans....
 troops raised three fingers
Three-finger salute (Serbian)

File:Tri prsta.jpgThe three-finger salute is a salute with the thumb, index, and middle fingers open used by some Serbs....
 in a sign of victory (which represents the Father, Son and Holy Spirit - the way that orthodox Christians cross themselves), Bosnian Croats raised the two-finger V-sign and Muslims
Muslims by nationality

Muslims by nationality was a term used in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as an official designation of nationality of Slavic Muslims....
 (Bosniaks
Bosniaks

group = BosniaksBo?njaci|image = ...
) raised one (after the strict monotheism of Islam
Tawhid

Tawhid is the concept of monotheism in Islam. It holds God is one and unique .The Qur'an asserts the existence of a single and absolute truth that transcends the world; a unique and indivisible being, who is independent of the entire creation....
).

See also

  • Extensor indicis proprius
    Extensor indicis proprius

    The extensor indicis proprius is a narrow, elongated muscle, placed medial to, and parallel with, the extensor pollicis longus....
  • Index (typography)
    Index (typography)

    The symbol is a punctuation mark, called an index or fist. Though rare today, this symbol was in common use between the 12th and 18th centuries in the margins of books, and was formerly included in lists of standard punctuation marks....
  • Digit ratio
    Digit ratio

    The digit ratio is the ratio of the lengths of different fingers, fingers or toes, typically as measured from the bottom crease where the finger joins the hand to the tip of the finger....


Additional images



External links