Meaning and usage of the word first finger in English

The term "first finger" may initially seem like a straightforward label for the foremost digit on our hands, but its origin is actually more complex than one might expect. The word "finger" itself derives from the Old English "finger," which simply referred to any extended part of the hand. Over time, the terms "little finger," "ring finger," and "middle finger" came to be used to describe the digits from the outside-in direction, starting with the little finger (pinky) and moving toward the thumb. However, the reason why the index finger (pointer finger) has come to be known as the "first finger" is not entirely clear. Some linguists suggest that the term may have originally referred to the finger that was used to indicate the first level of a hierarchy, such as in counting or ranking systems. Alternatively, it's possible that the term "first finger" developed as a more descriptive alternative to simply calling the digit the "index finger," especially in cases where the word "index" could be confused with related but distinct meanings in certain languages. Regardless of its origins, the term "first finger" is now commonly used alongside "index finger" and is particularly common in musical contexts, where it refers specifically to the finger that is used to press down on a particular note or key on an instrument.