German word

Daumen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈdaʊ̯mən/

Meaning

  • masculine nounthumb

Example

Er zeigt mit dem Daumen nach oben.

He points up with his thumb.

Illustration for Daumen (thumb)

More examples

Mit dem Daumen scrollt sie durch die Artikel.

She scrolls through the articles with her thumb.

Core concept

A compact opposing finger at the hand's edge, useful for a firm grip and for familiar approval gestures.

Common phrases

  • mit dem Daumen scrollen

    scroll with your thumb

  • Daumen und Zeigefinger

    thumb and index finger

Similar words

Finger: A finger on the hand, one of several used for grasping and moving objects.
Zeigefinger: A hand finger used to point at objects or indicate directions.
Mittelfinger: The long finger in the middle of the hand, between the index and ring fingers.

Definition in German

Der kurze, dicke Finger an der Seite der Hand, der dem Zeigefinger gegenübersteht und beim Greifen und Drücken eine zentrale Rolle spielt.

Word origin

German Daumen developed from Old High German dūmo or dūm, which goes back to Proto-Germanic *þūmaz and is cognate with English thumb.

Usage tips

  • Daumen hoch means 'thumbs up' and signals approval, while Daumen drücken means 'keep one's fingers crossed'.

Related words

  • Daumennagelthumbnailnoun
  • Daumenregelrule of thumbnoun

Word lists with this word