Befingered

/bɪˈfɪŋɡərd/ adjective

Definition

Touched, handled, or marked by fingers; having many finger-like projections.

Etymology

Past participle of 'befinger' or adjective form using 'be-' plus 'fingered'. Can also refer to something with finger-like extensions (as in botany, where 'fingered' describes leaves or structures radiating like fingers).

Kelly Says

In botanical terminology, 'palmate' (hand-shaped) leaves are sometimes called 'befingered' because they splay out like fingers—it's a surviving example of how the 'be-' prefix, though mostly dead in modern English, lingers in technical vocabulary where precision and descriptiveness matter.

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