thumb

1 of 2

noun

ˈthəm 

plural thumbs

1

: the short thick digit of the human hand that is analogous in position to the big toe and differs from the other fingers in having only two phalanges, allowing greater freedom of movement, and being opposable to each of them

also : a corresponding digit in lower animals

2

: the part of a glove or mitten that covers the thumb

3

: something resembling or suggesting a thumb

I steep the tea with a thumb of ginger, which brings a lovely hint of spice …

—Sarah Nasello

I stop for a while among the crowds at the Pinnacle, a thumb of rock protruding from the rim of the Wonderland Range above Halls Gap.

—Andrew Bain

4

: a convex molding : ovolo

thumb

2 of 2

verb

thumbed; thumbing; thumbs

intransitive verb

1

: to turn over pages

thumb through a book

2

: to travel by thumbing rides : hitchhike

thumbed across the country

transitive verb

1

: to request or obtain (a ride) in a passing automobile by signaling with the thumb

2

a

: to leaf through (pages) with the thumb : turn

b

: to soil or wear by or as if by repeated thumbing

a badly thumbed book

Phrases

all thumbs

: extremely awkward or clumsy

under one's thumb or under the thumb

: under control : in a state of subservience

her father did not have her that much under his thumb

—Hamilton Basso

thumb one's nose

1

: to express disdain or defiance

thumb their nose at opulence

—Sales Management

2

: to place the thumb at one's nose and extend the fingers as a gesture of scorn or defiance

Synonyms

Verb

• hitch
• hitchhike

Examples of thumb in a Sentence

Noun

a little girl sucking her thumb

I accidentally cut my thumb.

My mitten has a hole in the thumb.

Verb

I thumbed a ride to school.

He thumbed his way to New York.

He thumbed across the country.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The new movie has gotten a thumbs up from real racers, some of whom make cameos in the film. —Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 27 June 2025

In 1996, radiocarbon dating techniques revealed that the human thumb bone was around 31,000 years old, but the same method suggested the boomerang was just 18,000 years old. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2025

Verb

More than 1,600 reviewers give this cheesy pasta two thumbs up – or five stars. —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 22 June 2025

By continuing to insist that the United States does not need Canada – or any other country – Trump is thumbing his nose at our biggest trade partners and allies. —Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 11 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English thoume, thoumbe, from Old English thūma; akin to Old High German thūmo thumb, Latin tumēre to swell

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1647, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2a

Phrases Containing thumb

• green thumb
• hop-o'-my-thumb
• lady's thumb
• miller's-thumb
• rule of thumb
• stick/stand out like a sore thumb
• thumb drive
• thumb index
• thumb-indexed
• thumb one's nose
• thumb one's nose at
• thumb piano
• thumb through
• under someone's thumb

Rhymes for thumb

• bum
• chum
• come
• crum
• cum
• drum
• dum
• dumb
• from
• frum
• glum
• gum

Video

When Body Parts Are Also Verbs

Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes

Kids Definition

thumb

1 of 2 noun

ˈthəm 

1

a

: the short thick first finger of the human hand next to the index finger

b

: the similar structure in lower animals

2

: the part of a glove or mitten that covers the thumb

thumb

2 of 2 verb

1

: to turn pages with the thumb

thumb through a book

2

: to seek or get a ride in a passing automobile by sticking out one's thumb

Medical Definition

thumb

noun

ˈthəm 

: the short and thick first or most preaxial digit of the human hand that differs from the other fingers in having only two phalanges, in having greater freedom of movement, and in being opposable to the other fingers