The middle finger, long finger, or tall finger is the third digit of the human hand, located between the index finger and the ring finger. It is usually the longest finger. It is also called the third finger, digitus medius, digitus tertius, or digitus III in anatomy.
In Western countries, extending the middle finger (either on its own, or along with the index finger in the United Kingdom) is an offensive and obscene gesture, colloquially known as "flipping the bird", "flipping someone off", or simply "giving the finger". The gesture is usually used as a form of insult to the person it is directed to.
Famous quotes containing the words middle and/or finger:
“In the middle ages people were tourists because of their religion, whereas now they are tourists because tourism is their religion.”
—Robert Runcie (b. 1921)
“There in the narrow,
mote-filled finger of light, is a blonde
so blonde, so blinding, she is a blizzard, a huge
spook, and lights up like the sun the audience
in its galoshes. She bulges like a deuce coupe.
When we see her we say good-bye to Kansas.”
—Lynn Emanuel (b. 1949)