Finger (unit)

A finger (sometimes fingerbreadth or finger's breadth) is any of several units of measurement that are approximately the width of an adult human finger. [Exactly which part of the finger should be used is not defined; the width at the base of fingernail (#6 in the sketch) is typically less than that at the knuckle (#5).]

The digit, also known as digitus or digitus transversus (Latin), dactyl (Greek) or dactylus, or finger's breadth – 3⁄4 of an inch or 1⁄16 of a foot.^[1]^[2] (about 2 cm)

In medicine and related disciplines (anatomy, radiology, etc.) the fingerbreadth (literally the width of a finger) is an informal but widely used unit of measure.^[3]^[4]

In the measurement of distilled spirits, a finger of whiskey refers to the amount of whiskey that would fill a glass to the level of one finger wrapped around the glass at the bottom.^[5]^[6]^[7]

Another definition (from Noah Webster): "nearly an inch."^[8]^[9]

Finger is also the name of a longer unit of length, used historically in cloth measurement, to mean one eighth of a yard or 4⁠1/2⁠ inches.^[8]^[10] (114.3 mm) Again, which finger and whose finger, is not defined.

These units have no legal status but remain in use for 'rough and ready' comparisons.

^ Noah Webster; John Walker (1830). American dictionary of the English language. digit: Converse. p. 247. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
^ Ronald Edward Zupko (1985). A dictionary of weights and measures for the British Isles: the Middle Ages to the twentieth century. American Philosophical Society. pp. 109–10. ISBN 978-0-87169-168-2.
^ The American Journal of the Medical Sciences. Charles B. Slack. 1839. p. 363. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
^ David V. Skinner (28 April 1997). Cambridge textbook of accident and emergency medicine. Cambridge University Press. p. 1209. ISBN 978-0-521-43379-2. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
^ University chronicle. 1858. p. 187. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
^ Bret Harte (1899). "A Jack and Jill of the Sierras". McClure's magazine. S.S. McClure Co. p. 230.
^ Harvard Student Agencies, Inc. The official Harvard Student Agencies bartending course. Macmillan. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-312-25286-1.
^ ^a ^b Noah Webster (1896). Webster's collegiate dictionary. G. & C. Merriam. p. 332. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
^ William Markham (1739). A general introduction to trade and business: or, The young merchant's and tradesman's magazine ... A. Bettesworth and C. Hitch. p. 104.
^ The Encyclopedia Americana. Encyclopedia Americana Corp. 1920. p. 165.

[WebsterWalker1830-1] Noah Webster; John Walker (1830). American dictionary of the English language. digit: Converse. p. 247. Retrieved 15 January 2012.

[Zupko1985-2] Ronald Edward Zupko (1985). A dictionary of weights and measures for the British Isles: the Middle Ages to the twentieth century. American Philosophical Society. pp. 109–10. ISBN 978-0-87169-168-2.

[The_American_Journal_of_the_Medical_Sciences-3] The American Journal of the Medical Sciences. Charles B. Slack. 1839. p. 363. Retrieved 15 January 2012.

[Skinner1997-4] David V. Skinner (28 April 1997). Cambridge textbook of accident and emergency medicine. Cambridge University Press. p. 1209. ISBN 978-0-521-43379-2. Retrieved 15 January 2012.

[University_chronicle-5] University chronicle. 1858. p. 187. Retrieved 15 January 2012.

[McClure's_magazine-6] Bret Harte (1899). "A Jack and Jill of the Sierras". McClure's magazine. S.S. McClure Co. p. 230.

[Inc.Agencies2000-7] Harvard Student Agencies, Inc. The official Harvard Student Agencies bartending course. Macmillan. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-312-25286-1.

[Webster1896-8] Noah Webster (1896). Webster's collegiate dictionary. G. & C. Merriam. p. 332. Retrieved 14 January 2012.

[Markham1739-9] William Markham (1739). A general introduction to trade and business: or, The young merchant's and tradesman's magazine ... A. Bettesworth and C. Hitch. p. 104.

[The_Encyclopedia_Americana-10] The Encyclopedia Americana. Encyclopedia Americana Corp. 1920. p. 165.

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