middle finger

American  

[mid-l fing-ger] / ˈmɪd l ˈfɪŋ gər /

noun

• middle fingers
  plural

1. the finger between the forefinger and the third finger.

2. Slang. an obscene gesture of contempt made by pointing this finger upward while folding the other fingers against the palm; the finger.

   The driver honked his horn and got the middle finger from the biker.

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Usage

What else does middle finger mean? Giving someone the middle finger is an offensive gesture in which a person flips up their middle finger in a fist to show contempt or defiance.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• middle fingers
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of middle finger

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

middle finger

“She said that looks like a middle finger chart,” referring to the company’s $20 billion in debt with 10% of it due in 2027, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Anderson’s original “Resident Evil” film franchise, the writer-director — known for his abrasive, nu-metal vulgar auteurism — raises a middle finger of sorts to his detractors.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

The group had been examining the middle finger on Sasaki’s right hand.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

Those responses included pressing a button using either the index or middle finger on either hand.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

I cross my middle finger over my index finger—the sign for R—and tap it three times lightly against my lips.

From "Hello, Universe" by Erin Entrada Kelly

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