The first finger is an ambiguous term in the English language due to two competing finger numbering systems that can be used.
It might refer to either the thumb or the index finger, depending on the context.
This is due to two competing finger numbering systems that can be used.
In the five-finger system, the first finger refers to the thumb (or first digit); usually this system is used in a medical context,[1] or in a musical context when referring to playing keyboard instruments, such as the piano or accordion.
[3][4] This designation carries over in a musical context when referencing the playing of stringed instruments (such as the guitar),[5] woodwind instruments (such as flutes, pipes, or piccolos), and brass instruments (such as horns).