The little finger, or pinkie, also known as the baby finger, fifth digit, or pinky finger, is the most
ulnar and smallest digit of the human
hand, and next to the
ring finger
The ring finger, third finger, fourth finger, leech finger, or annulary is the fourth digit of the human hand, located between the middle finger and the little finger.
Sometimes the term ring finger only refers to the fourth digit of a left-han ...
.
Etymology
The word "pinkie" is derived from the
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
word
''pink'', meaning "little finger".
The earliest recorded use of the term "pinkie" is from
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
in 1808. The term (sometimes spelled "pinky") is common in
Scottish English and
American English,
and is also used extensively in other Commonwealth countries such as New Zealand, Canada, and Australia.
Nerves and muscles
The little finger is nearly impossible for most people to bend independently (without also bending the ring finger), due to the nerves for each digit being intertwined. There are also nine muscles that control the fifth digit:
Three in the
hypothenar eminence
The hypothenar muscles are a group of three muscles of the palm that control the motion of the little finger.
The three muscles are:
* Abductor digiti minimi
* Flexor digiti minimi brevis
* Opponens digiti minimi
Structure
The muscles of hypot ...
, two extrinsic flexors, two extrinsic extensors, and two more intrinsic muscles:
* Hypothenar eminence:
**
Opponens digiti minimi muscle
The opponens digiti minimi (opponens digiti quinti in older texts) is a muscle in the hand. It is of a triangular form, and placed immediately beneath the palmaris brevis, abductor digiti minimi and flexor digiti minimi brevis. It is one of the ...
**
Abductor minimi digiti muscle (
adduction
Motion, the process of movement, is described using specific anatomical terms. Motion includes movement of organs, joints, limbs, and specific sections of the body. The terminology used describes this motion according to its direction relativ ...
from third
palmar interossei
In human anatomy, the palmar or volar interossei (interossei volares in older literature) are three small, unipennate muscles in the hand that lie between the metacarpal bones and are attached to the index, ring, and little fingers. They are sm ...
)
**
Flexor digiti minimi brevis (the "longus" is absent in most humans)
* Two extrinsic flexors:
**
Flexor digitorum superficialis
**
Flexor digitorum profundus
* Two extrinsic extensors:
**
Extensor digiti minimi muscle
The extensor digiti minimi (extensor digiti quinti proprius) is a slender muscle of the forearm
The forearm is the region of the upper limb between the elbow and the wrist. The term forearm is used in anatomy to distinguish it from the arm, ...
**
Extensor digitorum
The extensor digitorum muscle (also known as extensor digitorum communis) is a muscle of the posterior forearm present in humans and other animals. It extends the medial four digits of the hand. Extensor digitorum is innervated by the posterior int ...
* Two intrinsic hand muscles:
** Fourth
lumbrical muscle
** Third
Palmar interosseous muscle
''Note: the
dorsal interossei of the hand
In human anatomy, the dorsal interossei (DI) are four muscles in the back of the hand that act to abduct (spread) the index, middle, and ring fingers away from hand's midline (ray of middle finger) and assist in flexion at the metacarpophalange ...
muscles do not have an attachment to the fifth digit''
Cultural significance
Gestures
Among American children, a "
pinky swear
To make a pinky promise, or pinky swear, is a traditional gesture most commonly practiced amongst children involving the locking of the pinkies of two people to signify that a promise has been made. The gesture is taken to signify that the person ...
" or "pinky promise" is made when a person wraps one of their pinky fingers around another person's pinky and makes a
promise. Something similar is also seen in China and Korea, where people link their pinky fingers and then stamp their thumbs together to make a ''yaksok'' (promise).
Among members of the
Japanese ''
yakuza
, also known as , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media, by request of the police, call them , while the ''yakuza'' call themselves . The English equivalent for the ter ...
'' (gangsters), the penalty for various offenses is removal of parts of the little finger (known as ''
yubitsume
or ''otoshimae'' is a Japanese ritual to atone for offenses to another, a way to be punished or to show sincere apology and remorse to another, by means of amputating portions of one's own little finger. In modern times, it is primarily perfo ...
'').
It is a common misconception that one should extend their little finger when drinking from a teacup. This practice is generally deprecated by etiquette guides as a sign of snobbery amongst the socially inferior, with various cultural theories as to the origin of the practice including the idea that finger food should be eaten with only the first three digits.
The messaging application Teams from Microsoft has an emoji which is a representation of a closed hand with the little finger raised. The description is "Nature's call" which is a polite euphemism used when someone feels a need to urinate or defecate.
Rings
The
signet ring is traditionally worn on the little finger of a gentleman's left hand, a practice still common especially in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
,
Australia, and European cultures. A signet ring is considered part of the regalia of many European monarchies, and also of the Pope, with the ring always worn on the left little finger. In modern times the location of the signet ring has relaxed, with examples worn on various different digits, although little fingers still tend to be the most usual.
The
Iron Ring is a symbolic ring worn by most
Canadian engineers
Engineers Canada (French: ') is the national organization of the 12 provincial and territorial associations that regulate the practice of engineering in Canada. Engineers Canada serves these associations, which are its sole members, by delivering n ...
. The Ring is a symbol of both pride and humility for the engineering profession, and is always worn on the little finger of the
dominant hand. In the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, the
Engineer's Ring is a
stainless steel ring worn on the fifth digit of the working hand by engineers who belong to the
Order of the Engineer
The Order of the Engineer is an association for graduate and professional engineers in the United States that emphasizes pride and responsibility in the engineering profession. It was inspired by the success of the Ritual of the Calling of an E ...
and have accepted the Obligation of an Engineer.
Utility
The little finger is often used as a support when
smartphone users type one-handed. The little finger is positioned underneath the phone, allowing it to be propped with the three middle fingers, and the user to type with their thumb.
Some users reported dents on their little finger and pain in the hand after prolonged use in this way, doctors referred to this as "iPhone pinky" or "smartphone pinky". The skin indentations were reported to be nothing of alarm, as they disappeared on their own after a short while without cell phone use.
See also
*
Fifth metacarpal bone
The fifth metacarpal bone (metacarpal bone of the little finger or pinky finger) is the most medial and second-shortest of the metacarpal bones.
Surfaces
It presents on its base one facet on its superior surface, which is concavo-convex and artic ...
, the bone in the hand proximal to the little finger
*
Pinky ring, a ring worn on the little finger
*
Red string of fate
The Red Thread of Fate (), also referred to as the Red Thread of Marriage, and other variants, is an East Asian belief originating from Chinese mythology. It is commonly thought of as an invisible red cord around the finger of those that are de ...
, a Japanese belief that soulmates are bound by a string attached to the little finger
References
{{Authority control
Fingers
Human anatomy