Pollex

Pollex

ˈpäˌleks

Noun

  • The innermost digit of a forelimb, especially the thumb in primates.

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Example Sentences

“His pollex swelled to twice its size after he hit it with the hammer.”

“Ernie’s polydactyl cat had an additional pollex.”

“The shopping bag was light enough that I could carry it with my pollex alone.”

Word Origin

Latin, early 18th century

Why this word?

“Pollex” comes directly from the same word in Latin, meaning “thumb” or “big toe.” In English, it’s spelled exactly the same as the Latin word, but variations on the term exist in several other languages. In Russian, “palex” means “finger,” “bol′šoj palec” means “thumb,” and “palec nogi” means “toe.” In both Czech and Bulgarian, “palec” means “thumb.” Humans have a pollex, which sets us apart from most mammals, but primates also have a thumb as the innermost digit of their forelimb.

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