forefinger

American

[fawr-fing-ger, fohr-] / ˈfɔrˌfɪŋ gər, ˈfoʊr- /

noun

the first finger next to the thumb.

forefinger British

/ ˈfɔːˌfɪŋɡə /

noun

Also called: index finger. the finger next to the thumb

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of forefinger

First recorded in 1400–50, forefinger is from the late Middle English word forefyngure. See fore-, finger

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Green held the thumb and forefinger of one hand maybe an inch apart to indicate how close.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2025

Young male gamers had taken issue with a single frame in the trailer, in which the female character could be seen holding her thumb and forefinger close together.

From BBC • Jan. 11, 2025

In a study published in 2022, Makin used a nerve blocker to temporarily mimic the effect of amputation of the forefinger in her subjects.

From Science Daily • Nov. 21, 2023

I don't know how to put this other than to form a rhetorical circle with my thumb and forefinger signaling a big fat goose egg.

From Salon • Sep. 16, 2023

He crossed his legs and pinched the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023