The ring finger on this hand is wearing a ring.

The ring finger is the fourth digit of the human hand, and the second most ulnar finger, located between the middle finger and the little finger. It is also called the fourth finger, digitus annularis, digitus quartus, or digitus IV in anatomy.

Etymology

According to László A. Magyar, the names of the ring finger in many languages reflect an ancient belief that it is a magical finger. It is named after magic or rings, or called nameless.

1. The medical finger. Some cultures named it after its supposed magic power, especially the healing power. An example of the idea of its healing power is Bhaisajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha, who uses his right ring finger for medicine.
   • German: Arztfinger (doctor's finger)
   • Hungarian: orvos ujj (doctor's finger)
   • Japanese: kusuri-yubi (medicine finger)
   • Japanese: kusushi-yubi (doctor's finger)
   • Latin: digitus medicinalis (medical finger)
2. The ring finger. Some cultures associated it to magic rings. This is particularly common in European languages.
   • English: ring finger
   • German: Ringfinger (ring finger)
   • Hungarian: gyűrűsujj (ring finger)
   • Latin: digitus annularis (ring finger)
3. The nameless finger. Many cultures avoided the true name of a powerful entity, and called it indirectly or called it nameless.
   • Bulgarian: benzimen pryst (nameless finger)
   • Finnish: nimeton sormi (nameless finger)
   • Hungarian: nevetlen ujj (nameless finger)
   • Japanese: nanashi-yubi (nameless finger)
   • Latin: digitus medio proximus (the finger next to the middle)
   • Mandarin: wúmíngzhǐ (nameless finger)
   • Persian: binàme (nameless)
   • Russian: benzymennyi palets (nameless finger)
   • Sanskrit: anáman (nameless)
   • Turkish: adsiz parmak (nameless finger)
   • Tatar: atsyz parmak (nameless finger)

The wedding ring

In Western cultures a wedding ring is traditionally worn on the ring finger. According to tradition, the wedding ring is worn on the left ring finger because the vein in the left ring finger was believed to be directly connected to the heart, a symbol of love. This belief is thought to have originated in ancient Egypt.

In medieval Europe, the Christian wedding ceremony placed the ring in sequence on the index, middle, and ring fingers of the left hand, representing the trinity — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The ring was then left on the ring finger. In a few European countries, the ring is worn on the left hand prior to marriage, then transferred to the right during the ceremony. A Greek Orthodox bride wears the ring on the left hand prior to the ceremony, then moves it to the right hand after the wedding.

Other

Some people also think that the diffrence in the index finger length compared to the ring finger is modulated by testosterone exposure in the womb.

References

• László A. Magyar. 1990. Digitus Medicinalis — the Etymology of the Name. Actes du Congr. Intern. d'Hist. de Med. XXXII., Antwerpen. 175-179. (see the site)

External links

• Finger length 'key to aggression'