Little finger

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Little finger

The little finger, often called the pinky in American English from the Dutch word pink, meaning little finger, is the most ulnar and usually smallest finger of the human hand, opposite the thumb, next to the ring finger. It is also called the fifth finger, the baby finger, digitus minimus, digitus quintus, or digitus V in anatomy, or the fourth finger colloquially.

Muscles

There are five muscles that control the little finger:

The first three of these make up the hypothenar eminence.

Cultural significance

A pinky promise (also known as a pinky swear) is made when a person wraps one of their pinky fingers around the other person's pinky and makes a promise. Traditionally, it's considered binding and the idea was originally that the person who breaks the promise must cut off their pinky finger. In a similar vein, among members of the Japanese yakuza (gangsters), the penalty for various offenses is removal of parts of the little finger (known as yubitsume).

Also in Japan, holding up a pinky while speaking of two people signifies that they are in a relationship.

In China, if one holds up a little finger at another, it is usually considered vulgar, just as if one holds up a middle finger in the United States and other countries is generally regarded as offensive.

In India, holding up the pinky is a signal that the person has to pee.

In Turkey, it's tradition to link pinky fingers when two people are making a bet.

In Judaism, it is customary to extend one's arm and pinky finger to the Torah as it is lifted following its reading in the Synagogue.

The Iron Ring is a symbolic ring worn by some Canadian engineers. 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.

The Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority holds their pinky finger in the air as a (Greek) greeting to their fellow sisters.

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