What is middle finger? How to use in English

The origin of the term "middle finger" can be traced back to old English and Anglo-Saxon times. In these times, the hand held a significant social and ceremonial importance. People used various gestures, including handshakes and kissing hands, to indicate friendship, loyalty, and respect. The middle finger, originally known as the "medllamæg," was the third finger from the thumb in the traditional five-finger configuration. The word "medllamæg" has Anglo-Saxon roots, derived from "middel," which means middle, and "ham," which translates to "hand." Over time, this word evolved into the modern English "middle finger," and came to be associated with an insulting gesture. The origins of the gesture, commonly known as "giving someone the middle finger," go back to medieval times. During this era, criminals, who were sentenced to be hung, were historically allowed to speak their final wishes or make a final statement to the crowd gathered around them. Some criminals used this opportunity to release any pent-up anger or resentment against their executioners by flipping their middle fingers towards the crowd. This gesture, which became known as "the benediction," was meant to symbolically show contempt and disrespect for authority, as well as reveal an individual's lack of fear as they met their end. Over time, this gesture became popularized among other intelligible social classes, and eventually, it became a universally recognized insult. The middle finger became a symbol of defiance and disrespect for authority figures, and is still widely used today as a way of insulting people or expressing one's anger, frustration, or displeasure.