What is the real name for a thumb?
What is the real name for a thumb?
Thumb, also called pollex, short, thick first digit of the human hand and of the lower-primate hand and foot. It differs from other digits in having only two phalanges (tubular bones of the fingers and toes).
Why is a thumb a finger?
Your thumb is different from your fingers. Your fingers have two joints and three bones called phalanges or phalanxes. A thumb only has one joint and two phalanges. The thumb is out to the side of the hand and lower than the four fingers.
When did middle finger become offensive?
Although scholars and historians continue to debate its origins, according to legend it was first displayed at the battle of Agincourt in 1415, although this is widely regarded as mythology.
Do only humans have opposable thumbs?
Contrary to popular misconceptions, humans are not the only animals to possess opposable thumbs — most primates do. We can also flex the ring and little fingers toward the base of our thumb. This gives humans a powerful grip and exceptional dexterity to hold and manipulate tools with.
Is the thumb the strongest finger?
The thumb is often thought of being the strongest because it is opposable and we think it’s flexor is strong but the flexors in the other fingers are just as strong. The thumb without the other fingers to oppose it is, well, weak and pretty much useless.
Where does the word thumb come from in English?
thumb (n.) Old English þuma, from Proto-Germanic *thūman- (source also of Old Frisian thuma, Old Saxon, Old High German thumo, German Daumen, Dutch duim “thumb,” Old Norse þumall “thumb of a glove”), literally “the stout or thick (finger),” from PIE *tum- “swell,” from root *teue- “to swell.”
How did the thumb and pointer finger get their names?
The term “thumb” was first used before the 12th century and is believed to have come from the Proto-Indo-European term tum, meaning “to swell,” which makes the thumb “the swollen one.” There is some debate as to whether the thumb can rightfully be called a finger, but classification aside, the name fits. 2. INDEX/POINTER FINGER
How did the Devils Thumb Mountain get its name?
Devils Thumb. It is named for its projected thumb-like appearance. Its name in the Tlingit language means “the mountain that never flooded” and is said to have been a refuge for people during Aangalakhu (“the Great Flood”). It is one of the peaks that marks the border, and is also listed on maps as Boundary Peak 71 .
Where did the saying ” rule of thumb ” come from?
It is often incorrectly stated that the “rule of thumb” expression dates back to a time in history when a man was allowed by law to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb.
What does the name thumb mean?
n. 1. the short, thick, inner digit of the human hand, next to the forefinger. 2. the corresponding digit in other animals; pollex. 3. the part of a glove or mitten for containing this digit. 4. to soil or wear with the thumbs in handling, as the pages of a book.
What is the origin of the word thumb?
The word thumb has ancient roots in the Indo-European base language where tum meant swell (very appropriate for this week). By the time it reached the prehistoric West Germanic it had become thûmon.
What is the history of the thumb?
Tom Thumb is a character of English folklore . The History of Tom Thumb was published in 1621, and was the first fairy tale printed in English. Tom is no bigger than his father’s thumb, and his adventures include being swallowed by a cow, tangling with giants, and becoming a favourite of King Arthur .
What is the origin of rule of thumb?
The phrase rule of thumb first became associated with domestic abuse in the 1970s, after which the spurious legal definition was cited as factual in a number of law journals, and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights published a report on domestic abuse titled “Under the Rule of Thumb” in 1982.