sticky fingers

plural noun

Informal.

1. a propensity to steal.

Other Word Forms

• sticky-fingered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sticky fingers¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Idioms and Phrases

A propensity to steal, as in You'd better not leave any cash around; she's known for her sticky fingers. This metaphor makes it seem as if valuables adhere naturally to a thief's fingers. [Colloquial; late 1800s]