161. Fingers and Toes

See also 14. ANATOMY ; 51. BODY, HUMAN ; 194. HANDS .

adactyly

a birth defect in which one or more fingers or toes are missing.

dactyl

a digit; a finger or toe. See also 264. MEASUREMENT .

dactyliography

the study of finger rings for purposes of description. —dactyliographer , n. —dactyliographic , adj.

dactyliology

the study and making of finger rings. —dactyliologist , n. —dactyliologic , adj.

dactyliomancy

a form of divination involving finger rings.

dactylitis

an inflammation of a finger or toe.

dactylography

the study of fingerprints. —dactylographer , n. —dactylogram , n. —dactylographic , adj.

dactylology

the science of communicating by sign language using the hands and fingers.

dactylomegaly

a condition in which one or more of the fingers is enlarged abnormally. —dactylomegalic , adj.

dactylonomy

Rare. the practice of counting on the fingers.

dactyloscopy

the comparison of fingerprints for identification. —dactyloscopist , n. —dactyloscopie , adj.

monodactyly

Zoology. the condition of having only a single finger, toe, or claw on each limb. —monodactylous , monodactylic , adj.

onychia

inflammation and ulceration at the base of a fingernail; a felon or whitlow.

onychomancy

the art of divination through inspection of the fingernails. —onychomantic , adj.

onychophagia, onychophagy

the habit of biting the fingernails.

onychoptosis

the loosening and falling off of the fingernails.

onychosis

disease of the fingernails or toenails.

paronychia

a pus-producing inflammation at the base of a fingernail or toenail; a felon or whitlow. Also called panaris .

pentadactylism

the condition of having five digits on each hand and foot. —pentadactylous , adj.

polydactylism

the condition of having more than the normal number of fingers or toes. —polydactylous , adj.

sexdigitist

a person who has six fingers or six toes.