index finger

noun

: the finger next to the thumb

called also forefinger

Examples of index finger in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Speaking from their home in Birmingham, Alabama, over video, Nan Skier lifted her hand to show the very first piece from their collection, which fits comfortably on her index finger. — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026 One of the most startling photos was of Hernandez’s right index finger, which had been severed. — Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 22 July 2026 Paul rose, dazed and much too slowly, felt for his glasses, went to the table, and gently touched the laptop with his index finger. — Literary Hub, 22 July 2026 Lefty Nick Lodolo, who is on the IL with a blister on his left index finger for the second time this season, is a free agent after the 2027 season, and right-hander Brady Singer is a free agent after this season. — C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for index finger

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of index finger was in 1849

Rhymes for index finger

See All Rhymes for index finger

Browse Nearby Words

index expurgatorius
index finger
index forest
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Index finger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/index%20finger. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

index finger

noun
: the finger next to the thumb

Medical Definition

index finger

noun
: the finger next to the thumb

called also forefinger

More from Merriam-Webster on index finger

Nglish: Translation of index finger for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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