digit

American  

[dij-it] / ˈdɪdʒ ɪt /

noun

• digits
  plural

1. a finger or toe.

2. the breadth of a finger used as a unit of linear measure, usually equal to 3/4 inch (2 centimeters).

3. any of the Arabic figures of 1 through 9 and 0.

4. any of the symbols of other number systems, as 0 or 1 in the binary.

5. index.

6. Astronomy. the twelfth part of the sun's or moon's diameter: used to express the magnitude of an eclipse.

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digit British  

/ ˈdɪdʒɪt /

noun

1. a finger or toe

2. Also called: figure. any of the ten Arabic numerals from 0 to 9

3. another name for finger

4. astronomy one twelfth of the diameter of the sun or moon, used to express the magnitude of an eclipse

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• digits
  plural

Etymology

Origin of digit

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin digitus “finger, toe”

Explanation

If you want to sound smart, you can refer to your finger, thumb, or toe as a digit. Each of the numbers from 0 to 9 is another kind of digit. Although your pinkie toe may seem to be completely unrelated to the number three, each is a kind of digit. In fact, the practice of calling numbers digits comes from the digits on your hands — specifically, the habit of counting to ten on your fingers. The Latin root word digitus means "finger or toe," and English borrowed from this to mean "number."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

digit digits

But when he tries to text her the next day, he realizes the number she gave him is missing a digit.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

WPP forecast like-for-like revenue less pass-through costs to decline by a low to mid-single digit percentage in the second half, following a 4.7% drop in the first.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Instead, the researchers view digit ratio as a possible marker of hormonal exposure during early fetal development.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

"Dangerous heat is expected to unfold through the weekend with triple digit highs and potential for daily maximum temperature records both days," the service's Weather Prediction Center said Saturday.

From Barron's ● Jul. 11, 2026

Zero was so important to the new set of numbers that people started calling all numbers ciphers, which gave the French their term chiffre, digit.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

The company projected sales in the current fiscal year would fall by "high-single digits," according to an earnings statement.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

The mountains and far interior could see an additional 3 to 6 degrees of warming Wednesday, and there’s a 40% chance the warmest valleys could reach triple digits Friday or Saturday, according to the forecast.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026

Meanwhile, oil prices are still hovering near triple digits.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

The Chargers have lost by double digits to two of last season's biggest strugglers and with away games at Buffalo and Seattle, things look likely to get much worse.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

He punched in four digits on a keypad and the door hidden in the rock facade slid open.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray