An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Finger

by Friedrich Kluge

Finger, m., ‘finger,’ from the equiv. MidHG. vinger, OHG. fingar, m.; a common Teut. term; comp. Goth. figgrs, OIc. fingr, AS. and E. finger. It is uncertain whether the word is derived from fangen, root fanh, and it is questionable whether it comes from the root finh, pre-Teut. pink, ‘to prick, paint,’ Lat. fingo (see Feile); it is most probably primit. allied to fünf (Aryan penqe). The terms Hand, Finger, Zehe are specifically Teut., and cannot be etymologically explained with certainty. Besides there existed even in OTeut. a definite term for each finger. First of all the thumb obtained its name, which is a rudimentary and hence very old form; for the remaining names see under Daumen.