digit

American  

[dij-it] / ˈdɪdʒ ɪt /

noun

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.

---

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

---

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

And overall revenue for the sector is likely to grow only modestly by 6% this year, a far cry from the double digit jumps seen in the hyper-growth phase.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

Masimo will be a stand-alone operating company within Danaher’s diagnostics segment and is expected to deliver high-single digit core revenue growth over the long-term, the companies said.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

Professor Manning's earlier work has also linked digit ratio to a wide range of outcomes.

From Science Daily • Feb. 10, 2026

The company also anticipates full-year revenue to decline by a mid-single digit percentage as multiple sclerosis product revenue continues to decline.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

A digit changes on the clock at the upper comer of the computer screen.

From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements