English Meaning & Definitions
The short, thick first digit of the human hand, set apart from the other four fingers.
- โHe accidentally hit his thumb with the hammer while building the shelf.โ
- โShe gave a thumbs-up to signal that everything was ready.โ
To turn pages of a book or magazine quickly with the thumb.
- โI spent the afternoon thumbing through old photo albums in the attic.โ
- โHe thumbed through the report to find the relevant statistics.โ
To signal for a ride in a passing vehicle by extending the thumb.
- โThey decided to thumb a ride to the next town after their car broke down.โ
- โHe spent his youth thumbing across the country.โ
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for โthumbโ.
Derived from the Old English 'thลซma', of Germanic origin. It is related to the Dutch 'duim' and German 'Daumen'. The root is linked to the Proto-Indo-European *tew-, meaning 'to swell', referring to the thumb's relative thickness compared to the other fingers.
Think of the thumb as the 'thick' fingerโit's the only one that stands apart from the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions About โthumbโ
1. What is the meaning of โthumbโ in English?
In English, thumb (noun) is defined as: โThe short, thick first digit of the human hand, set apart from the other four fingers.โ.
2. How do you use โthumbโ in a sentence?
โHe accidentally hit his thumb with the hammer while building the shelf.โ
4. What is the etymology and word origin of โthumbโ?
Derived from the Old English 'thลซma', of Germanic origin. It is related to the Dutch 'duim' and German 'Daumen'. The root is linked to the Proto-Indo-European *tew-, meaning 'to swell', referring to the thumb's relative thickness compared to the other fingers.
๐ฌ๐งMore English Words to English
View all English words โThe base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.