thumb

1 of 2

noun

ˈthəm 

plural thumbs

1

a

: 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

b

: a digit in vertebrate animals (such as gorillas and koalas) corresponding to the human thumb

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

see also:

all thumbs under one's thumb

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

see also:

thumb one's nose

Synonyms of thumb

Verb

• hitch
• bum
• 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

Searching the room for clues, Hole spots a decaying hand arranged on the shelf with the thumb removed and the index finger pointing upwards — to the fifth floor. —K.j. Yossman, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026

Pope Leo responded with a big thumbs up and a smile. —Sue McCann, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026

Verb

Caleb Foster thumbed over his shoulder to move Cam Boozer. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026

Since the late 1970s, victories at the bargaining table have been less frequent, and UFW leaders admit ranchers thumbed their noses during contract negotiations, daring them to strike. —Marcos Breton, Sacbee.com, 24 Mar. 2026

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 one's thumb
• under someone's thumb
• under the 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