fingerthick

Fingerthick is an informal descriptor that denotes a thickness approximately equal to that of a finger. It is a rough measurement rather than a precise unit, and its exact value can vary with the finger referenced and the individual. In practical terms, fingerthick typically falls within about 1 to 2.5 centimeters (roughly 0.4 to 1 inch).

The term is commonly used in crafts and manual work, including woodworking, leatherworking, rope work, and food preparation, to convey a human-scale thickness without relying on precise rulers. For example, a carpenter might cut a fingerthick strip of material, or a cook might roll dough to a fingerthick layer. Because it depends on the size of the person, fingerthick serves as a coarse guideline rather than a standardized measurement.

Fingerthick is not part of any formal measurement system. Its imprecision reflects natural variation in finger width among people and even among different fingers. In more formal contexts, precise units (millimeters, inches, etc.) are preferred to avoid ambiguity.

Related terms include fingerbreadth, which historically referred to the width of a finger, and other body-based measures such as palm or handspan. Fingerthick sits in the same family of informal descriptors, used for quick communication when exact dimensions are unnecessary.