Interdigital

Interdigital is an adjective derived from Latin inter- meaning “between” and digitus meaning “finger” or “toe.” It is used in anatomy, medicine, and biology to denote structures, spaces, or processes located between digits.

In human anatomy, the term typically refers to the interdigital spaces, the web-like areas between adjacent fingers or toes. These spaces contain skin and soft tissue and can be involved in conditions such as infections or dermatitis when moisture and friction affect the area.

In medical and veterinary contexts, interdigital terminology is used to describe problems or features affecting the spaces between digits, including nerve pathways that pass between digits (interdigital nerves) and conditions arising from irritation or entrapment of these nerves or from inflammation of the interdigital tissues.

In botany and mycology, interdigital is used more rarely, often to describe patterns or textures that appear to interlock or interdigitate between projecting parts, though this usage is less formal than in anatomy.

InterDigital, Inc. is a separate use of the term as a proper noun. It is an American technology company focused on wireless research and patent licensing, and it is not related to the anatomical sense of interdigital.

The term thus has both a descriptive, location-based medical meaning and occasional usage as part of corporate naming, with the two usages generally easily distinguished by context.