Meanings
nounthimble (plural thimbles)
plural thimbles
- businessA pitted, now usually metal, cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, which is used in sewing to push the needle through material.
She had worn a hole through her silver thimble, and wanted Owen to repair it.
1846, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Artist of the Beautiful”, in Mosses from an Old Manse - As much as fills a thimble (sense 1); a thimbleful.
- An object which resembles a thimble (sense 1) in shape or size.
- nauticalA metal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing.
The rope part is fitted with a thimble in one end, which is connected to the chain by means of a shackle; the other extremity is spliced around a heart, and goes with a laniard, as in the case of bobstays. The splice of the thimble and the heart should be served.
1849, John M‘Leod Murphy; W[illiam] N[icholson] Jeffers, Jun., “Part I. Spars and Rigging.”, in Nautical Routine and Stowage; with Short Rules in Navigation, New York, N.Y.: Henry Spear, […], →OCLC, pages 10–111 more example
To relieve the stern in a measure from the great weight of the [diving-]bell, a short, strong mast was stepped in the usual place, and steeving forward; from its head to the head of the davit was a span, which set up with two thimbles [footnote: A sort of iron ring.] and a lanyard, and the whole was supported by a strong stay from the mast-head to the stern of the boat, and two shrouds on a side, leading forward.
1836, Thomas Dickinson, A Narrative of the Operations for the Recovery of the Public Stores and Treasure Sunk in H.M.S. Thetis, at Cape Frio, on the Coast of Brazil, on the 5th December, 1830. […], London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longman, →OCLC, page 33 - UKobsoletethieves' cantA watch (timepiece).
One of them had the address, whilst his Majesty was shaking hands with one of his 'Pall-Mall' acquaintances, to slip his hand under his upper tog [coat] and extract his thimble [watch] […]
1821 September 8, Manchester Guardian (quoted in 2010, David J. Cox, A Certain Share of Low Cunning, page 121)
Synonyms & antonyms
Narrower
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Germanic*þūmilaz“thumb-covering, thumb-sheath”
- Proto-Indo-European*tewh₂-“to swell”
- Old Englishþūma“thumb”
- Old Englishþȳmel“thimble, thumbstall; fingerstall”
- Middle Englishthymbyll
- Englishthimble
The noun is derived from Middle English thymbyll, thimel (“thimble”) [and other forms], from Old English þȳmel (“thimble, thumbstall; fingerstall”), then either: * from Old English þūma (“thumb”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tewh₂- (“to swell”)) + -el (suffix forming agent nouns and the names of instruments); or * from Proto-Germanic *þūmilaz (“thumb-covering, thumb-sheath”), from *þūmô (“thumb”) (ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root mentioned above) + *-ilaz (suffix forming agent nouns). The English word is analysable as thumb + -le (suffix forming agent nouns), and is cognate with Dutch duimeling (“thumbstall”), German Däumling (“thumbstall”), German Low German Dümelke (“thumbstall”), Saterland Frisian Düümelke (“thumbstall”), Scots thummle, thumble (“thimble”). The verb is derived from the noun.
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Indo-European
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans vingerhoed
- vingerhoedcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Arabic كُشْتُبَان, كُسْتِبَان
- كُشْتُبَان (kuštubān)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- كُسْتِبَان (kustibān)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Bengali অঙ্গুষ্ঠানা
- অঙ্গুষ্ঠানা (oṅguśṭhana)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Bulgarian на́пръстник, муфа
- на́пръстник (náprăstnik)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- муфа (mufa)socket in machinery shaped like a thimble
Catalan didal
- didalcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Chinese Cantonese 頂針 /顶针
- 頂針 /顶针 (ding² zam¹)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Chinese Mandarin 頂針 /顶针, 頂針兒 /顶针儿
- 頂針 /顶针 (dǐngzhēn)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- 頂針兒 /顶针儿 (dǐngzhēnr)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- 針箍 /针箍 (zhēngū)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Czech náprstek
- náprstekcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Danish fingerbøl, kovs
- fingerbølcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- kovsmetal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
Dutch vingerhoed
- vingerhoedcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Esperanto fingringo
- fingringocup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Estonian sõrmkübar
- sõrmkübarcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Finnish sormustin, fingerpori
- sormustincup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- fingerporicup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- sormustimellinenas much as fills a thimble — see also thimbleful
- kaussimetal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
- koussimetal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
- silmurimetal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
French dé, dé à coudre
- décup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- dé à coudrecup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
German Fingerhut, Schneiderfingerhut
- Fingerhutcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- Schneiderfingerhutcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- Nähringcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- ein Fingerhut vollas much as fills a thimble — see also thimbleful
- Aufnahmedosesocket in machinery shaped like a thimble
- Bechersocket in machinery shaped like a thimble
- Buchsesocket in machinery shaped like a thimble
- Dosesocket in machinery shaped like a thimble
- Drehgriffsocket in machinery shaped like a thimble
- Hülsesocket in machinery shaped like a thimble
- Kappesocket in machinery shaped like a thimble
- Sockelsocket in machinery shaped like a thimble
Greek δαχτυλήθρα, δακτυλήθρα
- δαχτυλήθρα (dachtylíthra)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- δακτυλήθρα (daktylíthra)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- δαχτυλήθρα (dachtylíthra)as much as fills a thimble — see also thimbleful
- δακτυλήθρα (daktylíthra)as much as fills a thimble — see also thimbleful
- ροδάντζα (rodántza)metal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
Hawaiian komo
- komocup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Hebrew אצבעון \ אֶצְבָּעוֹן, עיזקה \ עִזְקָה
- אצבעון \ אֶצְבָּעוֹן (etsbaón)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- עיזקה \ עִזְקָה (izká)metal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
Hindi अंगुश्ताना, नोक
- अंगुश्ताना (aṅguśtānā)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- नोक (nok)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- टोप (ṭop)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- शाम (śām)socket in machinery shaped like a thimble
Hungarian gyűszű
- gyűszűcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Icelandic fingurbjörg
- fingurbjörgcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Indonesian bidal
- bidalcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Irish méaracán, lán méaracáin
- méaracáncup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- lán méaracáinas much as fills a thimble — see also thimbleful
- biannasocket in machinery shaped like a thimble
- súilmetal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
Italian ditale, redancia
- ditalecup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- redanciametal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
Japanese シンブル, 指貫
- シンブル (shinburu)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- 指貫cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- 指ぬき (yubinuki)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Korean 골무
- 골무 (golmu)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Latvian uzgalis
- uzgaliscup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Lithuanian antpirštis
- antpirštiscup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Malay bidal
- bidalcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Māori temara
- temaracup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Norwegian Bokmål fingerbøl, kause
- fingerbølcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- kausemetal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
Persian انگشتانه
- انگشتانه (angoštâne)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Polish naparstek, chomątko
- naparstekcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- chomątkometal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
- kauszametal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
- sercówkametal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
Portuguese dedal
- dedalcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Romanian degetar
- degetarcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Russian напёрсток, напёрсток
- напёрсток (napjórstok)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- напёрсток (napjórstok)as much as fills a thimble — see also thimbleful
- напёрсток (napjórstok)thimble or similar object used in thimblerig
- му́фта (múfta)socket in machinery shaped like a thimble
- вту́лка (vtúlka)socket in machinery shaped like a thimble
- ко́уш (kóuš)metal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
Scottish Gaelic meuran, meuran
- meurancup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- meuranmetal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
- tumailmetal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
Slovak náprstok
- náprstokcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Spanish dedal, dedo
- dedalcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- dedocup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- guardacabometal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing
Swahili kastabini, kustabani
- kastabinicup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- kustabanicup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Swedish fingerborg, fingerborg
- fingerborgcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- fingerborgas much as fills a thimble — see also thimbleful
Tagalog dedal, didal
- dedalcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- didalcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Tamil விரல் கவசம்
- விரல் கவசம் (viral kavacam)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Thai ปลอกนิ้ว, สนับ
- ปลอกนิ้ว (bplɔ̀ɔk-níu)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- สนับ (sà-nàp)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Turkish yüksük
- yüksükcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Ukrainian напе́рсток
- напе́рсток (napérstok)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Urdu انگشتانہ, ٹوپ
- انگشتانہ (anguśtānā)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- ٹوپ (ṭop)cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
- شام (śām)socket in machinery shaped like a thimble
Vietnamese đê
- đêcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Welsh gwniadur
- gwniadurcup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, used in sewing to push the needle through material
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with thimble
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
thimble. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thimble
MLA
“thimble.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thimble. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “thimble,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thimble.
Source: thimble on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.